Page 72
Story: Death at the Deep Dive
Ellery sank lower in his chair. He glanced at James, and to his dismay, saw that he was on his feet and moving through the tables toward the hall entrance beneath a green EXIT sign.
He swore. Now what? They’d barely got started. James hadn’t told him anything he didn’t already suspect. He had no more proof than he’d had before he walked in the door. Should he go after him?
Oh hell. The mustachioed ringleader of the…of the…anyway, a person in a ridiculously oversized plaid coat, fedora and…clogs? was on the approach.
Clop-clop. Clop-clop.
“It’s all right, he’s only gone to the men’s restroom,” Nora hissed, reaching Ellery’s table.
“Nora, are you out of your mind?” Ellery hissed back. “What are you doing? What are youwearing?”
“We had to turn to the Scallywag’s costume department for our disguises.”
“Why would you have to come in disguise? And such terrible disguises! You’redrawingattention to yourselves.”
Nora waved that idea off. “We had to take the risk. Kingston has some urgent information for you!”
Kingston, who’d made only the most feeble attempt to disguise his appearance, hovered behind Nora. He was shaking his head. “Nora, I’ve already told you that Elleryknows.”
“But he doesn’t knoweverything.”
“But he does. I told him everything. Which was little enough.”
Ellery heard thesqueakof door hinges, saw a shadow slide along the section of the hall, coming toward the bar area. “Go. Away.” He told Nora. “Now! Go!”
“Be careful!” Nora hissed as Kingston drew her away. “Remember Carroll Cole!”
“Who?Never mind!” He waved her off barely in time.
Clop-clop. Clop-clop.
Loud whispers floated from their table.
What did he say?
Does he want us to join him?
Is he all right?
Is he running a tab?
What should we order?
Ellery closed his eyes, shook his head. A few seconds later, James returned and took his seat across from Ellery. His face was pink and damp, his eyelashes sticky. He’d either been crying or splashing his face with water. Ellery guessed water.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine. It’s very warm in here.” James said apologetically, “I’m sorry I interrupted you. You were explaining why Vera thought my mother—who worked herself to the bone for that woman, by the way—could possibly have anything to do with killing Vernon.”
“For one thing, a number of people heard them arguing that night. It seems like your mother might have seen that marriage certificate and maybe got the wrong idea?”
“That’s it?” James rolled his eyes. “That’s ridiculous. My mother was a happily married woman. She saw through Vernon from the first. There must be some other reason Vera targeted her.”
“Targetedis too strong a word,” Ellery said. “She was just one of the names on Vera’s list.”
“May I see the list?”
Ellery smiled. “I don’t carry it around with me.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78