Murder in the Book Lover's Loft by Ellery Adams

Author:Ellery Adams [Adams, Ellery]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2023-06-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Olivia explained that downtown Oyster Bay would soon be teeming with people. Four blocks of Main Street had been closed to vehicle traffic, and booths of crafts and carnival games marched down the middle of the road. Children would race around, collecting candy and spending their allowance on toys, food, and games. The adults would break open their piggy banks too, as portions of every purchase would support the fight against breast cancer.

“This will be just the distraction we all need,” she added. “And it’ll give you and Edwin a chance to recapture your vacation vibes. You can’t walk around looking normal. That’s highly frowned upon.”

Olivia had a whole box of pink costume items, which was why Jane was now wearing a pink tutu over her jeans, a pair of glittery pink fairy wings, and a floral headband. Edwin had been given a pink velvet coat, a black tricorner hat, and a hook to cover his right hand. Olivia even gave him a crocodile puppet from the stand in the children’s section to wear on his left hand.

“I can’t be Captain Hook without a mustache,” he complained to Jane.

“No worries. I’ll draw one on,” said the bookseller dressed as Princess Aurora.

She used mascara to brush a black mustache on Edwin’s upper lip and to turn his dark eyebrows into pointy, Disney-villain arches.

Butterworth watched the bookseller’s ministrations with amusement, but when Edwin’s transformation was complete and Olivia turned to him, all traces of humor disappeared.

“I don’t wear costumes of any sort,” he announced. “Ever.”

“Be that as it may, if you aren’t adhering to the Pink-O-Ween rules, you might find yourself covered in Silly String.”

Butterworth frowned. “Silly String?”

“It’s brightly colored string shot out of an aerosol can. It’s some sort of nontoxic chemical, but it can really stick to your clothes and hair,” Olivia explained.

“People intentionally spend money on this item?”

Jane snorted. “Are you kidding? The twins think it’s the greatest invention ever.”

“Naturally.”

Ignoring Butterworth’s sour expression, Oliva showed him several items from the costume box. He glared at the red-and-pink devil’s cape and horns, grunted at the sight of the pink clown wig and oversize bowtie, and refused to acknowledge the pink cowboy hat and gold sheriff’s badge.

Finally, Olivia pulled out a clear plastic bag containing a new pink T-shirt. She glanced from the shirt to Butterworth and grinned.

“I have an idea.”

Olivia handed the shirt to the bookseller dressed as Dracula and told Jane and Edwin to order drinks from the café while she and her employee transformed Butterworth into a superhero.

“She’ll never get him to wear that shirt,” Edwin said as Jane pushed his wheelchair into the café.

“If she does, it’ll be for one reason only.”

Edwin ordered two cappuccinos and glanced up at Jane. “What reason is that?”

“He’s in love.”

Edwin stretched out his hand, and Jane took it. They smiled at each other until the barista handed them their cappuccinos.

“I wish this thing came with a cupholder,” Edwin said, glaring down at his wheelchair. “How’s a villain supposed to juggle a crocodile and a cup of coffee?”

Haviland strode into the café as if he owned the place.

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