The Pawful Truth by Miranda James

Author:Miranda James
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2019-07-15T16:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

I had to laugh at a sudden vision of Melba tooling around in her blue roadster, magnifying glass at the ready, looking for a mystery to solve.

“What’s so funny?” she demanded.

“You as Nancy Drew.” I described the picture she had conjured up in my mind with her words, and she grinned.

“I always did want that roadster,” she said. “I could have done without that sappy Bess, always more interested in food than in adventure. George was fun, though.”

“She was,” I agreed. “Yes, I want you to do a little investigating. You have to be discreet, and so do I. I talked to Viccy Kemp this morning, but I didn’t really find out anything useful. Now that Warriner is dead, she isn’t talking about his running around on his wife. At least, not to me. I want you to find out whether what she told you before is simply gossip or whether there was anything to the rumors.”

Melba nodded. “I can do that. What else?”

“Your other friend, Jeanette. What’s her last name?” I asked.

“Larson,” Melba said.

“Right, Larson. I’ll try to remember that. I want you to talk to her also, maybe the two of them together. See if you can find out anything about Irene Warriner and whether she was really running around on her husband. I think Armand d’Arcy is the most likely candidate.”

“Who?” Melba asked.

“He’s the other man she’s been seen with,” I said. “Music professor. Look him up on the department website.”

“Hang on.” Melba turned to her computer and a few seconds later she whistled. “I’d run around with him any day. Talk about romantic.” She stared intently at the picture. “I’ve seen him a couple times around town. Never knew who he was before.”

“He’s the one Warriner went after in the bistro and at the book signing Saturday night,” I said.

“I’ll be more than happy to investigate him,” Melba said.

“Don’t get carried away because he’s handsome,” I said. “Remember that he could be a murderer. What if he killed Carey Warriner so Irene would be free to marry again?”

“Good point,” Melba said. “Maybe I’ll wait until we know who the murderer is before I try to cozy up to him.”

“That would be a better plan,” I said wryly. “Now, back to your friends. When do you think you can get together with them again? Soon, I hope.”

Melba said, “Normally, we get together for lunch about once a month, and we’ve already done that this month.” She thought for a moment. “We take turns paying for lunch. It’s my turn next. I’m sure if I invite them to lunch at a nice place tomorrow, instead of in the student union grill where we usually meet, they’ll jump at the chance.”

“Would that make them suspicious?” I asked.

“What if they are?” Melba said. “It’s not going to stop them from talking, believe you me. Those girls like to gossip, and I’m sure I can get what you need to know from them.”

“What about the bistro?” I asked.

Melba shook her head. “It’s nice enough, but the tables are all pretty close together.

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