Crossword Mysteries - 02 - Two Down by Nero Blanc

Author:Nero Blanc
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9780425175101
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Published: 2000-07-01T21:23:06+00:00

Belle turned back to face him. “Hey, what?” she said.

“I can see the wheels spinning. I only agreed to your publishing-the-puzzle scheme if you promised to stay in the shadows, remember? I want you to be careful . . .”

“Safety’s my middle name . . . Anyway, in a pinch I can always spout old Shylock . . . ‘Hates any man the thing he would not kill?’—par exemple . . . That should set any malefactor dozing . . .”

While Rosco returned to Pepper’s house, Belle drove to Sara’s home, White Caps. Their conversation on Monday had begun with Tom Pepper; and Belle had a hunch that a lady as ensconced in Newcastle’s hierarchy as Sara Crane Briephs would know everything about the man and his business dealings. Belle even suspected Sara might be able to describe the G.O.L.D. Fund’s intricate structure.

Naturally, it was Emma who escorted Belle from the entry foyer through the long somber hall to Sara’s pleasant parlor. The grand old lady was finishing a tray lunch: tuna fish salad on crustless white bread—a quintessentially WASPy meal. A McIntosh apple and two gingersnaps completed the picture. Old-line New Englanders didn’t maintain their longevity by being lavish.

“A sandwich, Belle?” Sara asked while Belle took the same seat she’d occupied the previous Monday.

“I already ate, thanks . . . I think.”

Sara’s imperious blue eyes swept Belle’s face. “That is not an encouraging answer, young lady. The brain and the body need sufficient fuel in order to function properly. Without decent food, one cannot think.”

Belle suddenly remembered her luncheon menu. “I had deviled eggs,” she said. “Several . . . or maybe four or five . . .”

Sara’s face grew wistful. “My favorite treat,” she murmured. “You know, in my day, one could not attend a party—any type of party—without deviled eggs being among the canapés. Unfortunately, at my age, that amount of cholesterol is not . . . ah, well . . . plummier times . . .” Stoicism straightened the old woman’s shoulders and spine. “Now, Belle, what can I do for you? When you phoned to suggest this visit, discussing hard-cooked eggs was obviously not part of the plan.”

Belle hesitated for only a second. Subcontractor of the Polycrates Agency, she heard her brain repeating. The term, she felt, gave her a certain flexibility—and power. She pulled her photocopy of the newest crossword from her purse.

“This is the third anonymous puzzle I’ve completed in as many days, Sara. The first two came to me at my home, this third was delivered to Tom Pepper.” Then she added a knowing: “It’s highly confidential—as I’m sure you realize. I could get into a good deal of trouble for divulging information, but I’m convinced it pertains to the fire aboard the Orion, and the disappearance of Genie Pepper and Jamaica Nevisson.”

Belle passed the crossword to Sara, who perused it with her customary alacrity.

“I’d say that’s an understatement, Belle. If my son had seen this, he’d concur wholeheartedly.” She studied the word game further.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.