Death Lights a Candle by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

Author:Phoebe Atwood Taylor [Taylor, Phoebe Atwood]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 088150145X
Published: 2019-10-17T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

MRS. HOWES

I DID not pass a happy night.

When I awoke Saturday morning Rowena’s bed was empty, but before I finished dressing, she came into the room.

“The road’s been opened,” she informed me, “and some burly gentlemen have been sent down to help Asey. They’re stationed around the doors and William tells me there’s a motorcycle cop at either end of the road. The phones are in order and there’ve been so many calls that they’ve had to warn the operator to put through calls only from certain people. Phrone says that they’ve had to corral extra girls to handle things. And the place was swarming with reporters, but Asey got rid of ’em.”

“Did they see you?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“I regret to say that they did. Head-lines again, Prue. ‘Spinster Sculptress at Stires Killing. From Chicago to Cape Cod, Says Miss Fible, is from Frying-Pan to Fire.’ I know it’ll be something like that. I can feel it coming. I tried to hide, but that obnoxious Johnson man saw me and pounced on me. We,—well, we’ve met before. There wasn’t any use trying to evade him. But Asey was marvelous. He sent them on some wild-goose chase after a man with a white beard. I didn’t get the whole story, but it was good enough to make them go. The motorcycle cops have orders not to let ’em back. Asey gave out a list of the guests and those reporters just gasped. Said it sounded like a conference to cancel the national debt.”

“Asey is still in charge?”

“Yes, thank goodness. I was rather afraid that they’d put in some bull-necked individual, but they’re showing unusual intelligence. Oh, yes. The lawyer is coming some time this afternoon, Phrone tells me. That woman’s a marvel. She knows more that goes on in this house than the rest of us combined. I’ll wager she could even give Asey points. How d’you feel this morning, by the way?”

“Practically normal, thank you.”

“Um. Prue, will you tell me something?”

“Depends.”

“Prue, was that closet episode yesterday accidental, or intentional?”

I shrugged. “What do you think?”

“I don’t think it was accidental. I don’t think Asey’s the sort to let a spring lock fool him. Who locked you in?”

“That’s something I’d give a lot to know.”

She nodded. “Then you were locked in. I see. Come along and get some breakfast. Lewis is up, superintending Phrone, and she’s furious. I’m interested to see just how the meal is going to turn out.”

As far as the food was concerned, the meal was a huge success. Socially, it was a failure. Denny contented himself with an orange, and even June’s appetite was beginning to fade. The weather was the sole topic of conversation.

Just as we were getting up from the table, one of Asey’s new assistants appeared in the doorway.

“There’s a woman here, and she won’t go away. She says she’s got to see you. The state cops couldn’t keep her away.”

“Who is it?”

“Name of Howes, she says.”

Asey laughed. “Lyddy, huh? Well, let her in.

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