Nibbled to Death by Ducks by Robert Campbell

Author:Robert Campbell [Campbell, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, General
ISBN: 9780671675837
Google: AzBltcK2FWQC
Amazon: B017EFPY7C
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1989-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

Before the coroner's man gets there O'Shea herds us all into the house.

Alfie plays it smart and finds a place to lie down out of the traffic.

All the noise must've woke up some of the patients, or maybe five o'clock was the time a couple of them usually get up, because there's two old men and an old woman in her bare feet wandering around asking for their breakfast.

"You got another two hours at least before you can have your breakfast," Jack Boxer says.

Mrs. Spencer, wearing a bathrobe or dressing gown even tattier than the one she lent to Custer, comes shuffling down the hallway into the living room.

"Jack, see what you can do about getting Mr. Barnaby and Mr. Herkimer back to their rooms," Evergreen says, turning her back on the rest of us and hurrying over to the skinny old woman. "What are you doing up so early, Agnes?"

"Couldn't sleep. All the commotion out in the yard."

Evergreen puts her arm around Mrs. Spencer's waist and starts turning her around. "Mrs. Child, will you see that Mrs. Muldoon gets back to her room? And get her into some slippers."

Mrs. Child's already over there taking the other old lady in hand. She's got a pair of unlaced shoes she took from the box in the hallway and kneels down to slip them on Mrs. Muldoon's feet.

"Can I have a streusel bun?" Mrs. Muldoon asks.

"If we have any," Evergreen says. "And Mrs. Child, will you ask Robert to come out and watch the desk?"

"If that sonofabitch, Charlie Custer, ain't et them all, you mean," Mrs. Muldoon says, getting really upset.

"What?" O'Shea says.

"Charlie Custer eats all the streusel buns," Mrs. Muldoon says, really irritated with everybody.

"We'll keep an eye on him and see he doesn't," Evergreen says, letting go of Mrs. Spencer and going to Mrs. Muldoon.

"Hold it," O'Shea says. "Just a second there."

Mrs. Muldoon practically cowers behind Evergreen when she sees this red-faced hulk barreling over toward her.

"How come Charlie Custer eats all the streusel buns?" O'Shea demands.

"Because he creeps out first thing in the morning, after the bakery delivers and before anybody else is even out of bed, and gobbles them all down."

"Was you on the lookout for him this morning?"

"I'm on the lookout for him every morning."

"So you saw him this morning?"

"I didn't say that," she says getting a whiff that something's not so good with Charlie Custer and she better find out what's what before she answers any more questions. She pulls her robe closer around her neck, grabbing hold of her courage and her dignity and says, "Just who in the hell are you?"

"I'm the police."

"What's the police doing running around a respectable neighborhood this time of night?"

"There's been an accident, Mrs. Muldoon," Evergreen says. "Mr. Custer had an accident and died."

"Ever since Hizzoner, Mayor Daley, passed away, the town's been going to hell in a wheelbarrow," Mrs. Muldoon says.

"Your room have a view of the garden?" Rourke asks in his Irish tenor's voice, as soft and sweet as a lover's kiss.

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