Drowning Pool (Miss Henry Mysteries) by Melanie Jackson

Author:Melanie Jackson [Jackson, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brian Jackson
Published: 2014-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

The meal was another long one and the guests were grumpy for having been kept waiting. Juliet didn’t bother to try conversing with anyone. Instead she slipped bits of food to the black and white cat under the table that patted her ankles whenever he was feeling neglected. Juliet hoped that he—because it was definitely a he—did not have fleas.

Juliet did her best to be discreet about feeding the cat her unwanted lunch, but Raphael, who was sitting across from her, noticed what she doing and also her look of surprise when the feline decided to hop into her lap and began kneading with its sharp claws.

The cat apparently could count courses and when they were down to the dessert, some kind of dulce de leche, the cat excused itself and slipped out of the dining room. It exited down the hallway that led to the kitchens where she expected it was supposed to remain while keeping mice out of the pantry.

Guda Stoss had been careful to avoid Juliet since their exchange the previous night, but her gaze was full of frustrated malice whenever she looked her way. Juliet, who had dealt with truly scary people, let her gaze express her contempt for the sculptor’s bad manners. Juliet, being at least temporarily above attack, didn’t mean that Guda had given up being rude to others, so it didn’t surprise Juliet when Judith and Guda ended up having hard words over the fish course. It concerned Judith’s fur. In this, Juliet was on Guda’s side but she stayed out of it. The exchange lasted through the dessert and coffee. Both women were sneering but looked satisfied with the encounter.

After lunch she pulled Raphael aside and asked if he would like to go with her to see the pozas. Henrik von Hayek, who was standing nearby, overheard her and offered to arrange a jeep at once if that was what she wanted. Raphael studied her for a moment and they agreed that he would very much like to see the poza. This was a lie since he usually rested in the late afternoon, and it was unpleasantly hot outside, but Raphael knew that she was after something and needed, or at least wanted, his help.

Bertram Fröndenberger and Oscar Dandie were also standing with their host and Juliet was relieved when no one else invited themselves along on their expedition. She wanted to enjoy the experience without interruption of her thoughts and even old Fröndenberger would be a distraction. He would also impede frank conversation which they could have once away from the castle.

Juliet still had her sketchpad and flashlight with her and she led the way to the garage, making sure to choose a route that would accommodate Raphael’s chair.

“You have made good use of your time,” was Raphael’s only comment at her obvious familiarity with the castle’s layout.

“I have not been dallying,” she murmured. “And I can usually find my way about anyway.”

“You do have a certain porosity when it comes to things like this,” he admitted.

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