Paradox by Catherine Coulter

Author:Catherine Coulter [Coulter, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 2018-07-30T18:30:00+00:00

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HAGGERSVILLE POST OFFICE

TUESDAY

The post office lobby was crowded, but no one seemed much interested in mailing letters or packages. They were talking about what had happened to Gunny Saks. Postal employees knew the most, it seemed, and they were holding court.

When Ty and Sala walked in and asked for Mrs. Chamberlain, the buzz of conversation stopped dead, all eyes on them.

Sala smiled, gave a little wave. “Chief Christie and I—I’m Agent Sala Porto—we’ve come from the hospital and we’re happy to tell you Gunny’s surgery went well. It looks like she’ll be all right. She’ll recover.”

There were murmurs and sighs of relief, most of them sincere. Ty and Sala were the new center of attention, until it was clear they had no more answers.

A woman’s piercing voice rang out, a whipcrack to it. “This is a United States post office, not a coffee shop! Everyone, back to work!” Conversation died on the vine. A formidable woman in her late fifties, Sala would say, tromped toward them in sensible low heels and a plain gray dress that showed, to his surprise, an amazing cleavage. Her glasses hung on a gold chain around her neck, and her hair was permed and sprayed to immobility. She looked no-nonsense, like a Bears linebacker with breasts. Sala imagined everyone knew not to tangle with this woman.

After Sala and Ty showed her their creds and asked to speak to her privately, Mrs. Chamberlain gave one last death look to the postal employees still hanging around in the lobby, then said, “Come this way.”

Ty and Sala followed her through a swinging gate past the fourth window. A thin-as-a-straw older window clerk started to say something, saw the look on Mrs. Chamberlain’s face, and seamed his lips. Sala didn’t blame him. Smart move, dude.

“Pay no attention to Hughes. He’s been here as long as I have, but he’s never going to leave the window, never wanted to. He can sort mail for boxes faster than anyone I’ve ever seen, but he prefers to sell stamps and weigh customer packages. He and Luke Putney try to outdo each other with gossip.”

They followed her into the bowels of the post office, aware of postal employees watching their every step.

Mrs. Chamberlain stopped abruptly and gave the stink-eye to a man in close conversation with a young woman. She said in a death-ray voice, “Mr. Klem, you must get back to work or Mr. Murcheson might find out how you spend your time on the job.” Mr. Klem nodded once to the young woman and turned away. Mrs. Chamberlain continued. “Mr. Murcheson is our postmaster, brand new and scared of his own shadow, sent to us from way up north around Boston. He doesn’t know how we do things here in rural Maryland yet, so he does what I tell him to, naturally. Right now, I imagine he’s in his office, with the door locked. Who knows what he does in there.” She stepped around them and walked into a

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