The Cane Mutiny: A Den of Antiquity Mystery by Myers Tamar

Author:Myers, Tamar [Myers, Tamar]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Avon, ISBN-13: 9780060535193
Published: 2010-03-21T10:26:19+00:00

seconds for me to register surprise.

Noticeably absent was anything Oriental. There

was not even the occasional Chinese vase, something that would have been quite at home in the

rather eclectic collections of that period. Since my

mind was obviously getting easier to read as the

day progressed, the dimness of these great rooms

did not pose a challenge to C.J.

“Her mother was English,” she whispered, “and

so was Mr. Wou-ki’s grandmother. Trust me,

Abby, their California home is very Chinese.”

“Keep reading, dear, you’re not done.”

“Of course she doesn’t have to work, silly. She

works because she enjoys it. Wouldn’t you want to

keep busy even if you didn’t have to?”

“Charities, or fun busy?”

“Hermione does lots of stuff for charity, Abby.

But just like you might want to go bowling for

fun, Hermione likes running her shop. That’s

what makes it so successful. Antiques are her passion, not just her business.”

“Bowling? I haven’t been bowling in thirty

years.”

“Granny and I used to bowl with cabbages,”

C.J. said wistfully. “Then one day Cousin Cole

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Ledbetter came to visit, and while Granny and I

were off to church, he shot up all the cabbages

with his double gauge shotgun. Splintered them

all over the place. Granny was very practical, and

when she saw all those shredded cabbages, she

mixed what she could with mayonnaise and

served it for Sunday dinner. ‘Cole’s Slaughter,’ she

called her recipe. Well, the pastor and his family

were eating with us that day, and before you know

it everyone in Shelby was wanting to try this new

dish. Soon everyone with a shotgun, and even a

couple of people with axes, were busting up their

cabbages. Over the years the name got changed to

Cole’s Slaught and then finally coleslaw. You can

bet Granny about hit the roof when she learned

that someone had sent her recipe into lots of different cookbooks and not given her credit.”

Rufus stopped abruptly, causing C.J. to plow

into him, and me into her. Fortunately we all remained standing, so no real damage was done.

He cleared his throat. “Miss Cox and Mrs. Timbersnake to see you, madam.”

I peered around two sets of elbows. What I saw

made me gasp.

267

22

Hermione Wou-ki sat resplendent on a

green and gold sofa on the far side of a

palatial room. Perhaps it was a ballroom.

She was wearing a shimmering, pink silk pantsuit, and her thick, dark hair cascaded free over

her shoulders. Her porcelain face and hands gave

the impression that one was looking at a doll. A

very large and expertly crafted doll. At this great

distance that might well have been what I was

looking at.

“Ah yes,” she said, “please come in.”

Rufus, who was as powerfully built as a Neanderthal, managed to slip around us and disappear, all in the blink of an eye. As C.J. and I crossed

the polished hardwood floor, my nervousness escalated. I felt like I was approaching the queen.

C.J. did not share my state of mind. “Hey Hermione,” she said, her loud voice echoing in the

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sparsely furnished room, “did you get the invitation yet?”

“To your wedding? Yes, how lovely.

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