“Gus, I’m sorry, I don’t even know what to say.”
“Crumbs, Annie, I shouldn’t be so hard on you,” he said. “I’d just hate to see you get into any sort of legal mess, traveling ‘mostly alone’ as you are. Call it fatherly concern, not that I’d know the first thing about it.”
“Don’t apologize,” she said. “I understand.”
She didn’t know the first thing about fatherly concern, either.
“Oh, I wasn’t apologizing,” Gus said. “You are most certainly in the wrong. But tell me, what else did you see over at the Grange? Since a crime has already been committed you might as well reveal the results of your felonious behavior.”
“Honestly, I was a little disappointed,” Annie admitted. “The house was dilapidated, as expected, the grounds around it nothing but weeds and overgrowth. But the inside? You said it was cluttered.”
“I said?”
“Well, your story. Plus it was in the biography. And while the place wouldn’t win any Good Housekeeping awards, I expected a lot more … crap.”
“Crap, is it?” Gus said, letting free a smile. His usual ways were beginning to creep back in. “I’m sure Mrs. Spencer would appreciate the inference.”
“Okay, wise guy, according to Win Seton, there was literal crap, of the spaniel and cat varieties.”
“Touché, young criminal. Touché.”
“That’s not what I meant, though,” she said. “The home was mostly empty. The furniture was gone. The dishes, removed. Artwork was pulled right off the walls.”
“I told you they auctioned off the home’s contents upon the woman’s death. Anything with value would’ve been sold decades ago.”
Annie thought of the papers in her backpack. Were those valueless? She assumed the market for first drafts of minimally read books wasn’t exactly the stuff of bidding wars, but the pages meant something to her. For Gus to call them worthless felt like an insult.
“I’d like to see those transcripts,” Gus said, reading her mind, or more likely her face, which was never a decent fortress against her innermost thoughts.
“Sure,” she said with a nod. “I’ll, uh, gather them up.”
Suddenly the front door of the inn flung open. It cracked against the far wall. A squall of lavender and curls spiraled in their direction.
“Annie!”
Nicola came tearing down the walkway, her coat flying out behind her.
“Annie! Miss Annie! Your mother’s been looking for you! She only just left.”
“Mother?” Gus said archly. “I thought you were traveling alone?”
“Mostly!” Annie said. “Mostly alone!”
“Your mum left a message,” Nicola said, and jammed a peach-colored slip into Annie’s hand. She shot Gus a scrutinizing look.
Annie smiled weakly at both of them as her eyes scanned the page.
A—
Why do I feel like I’m being punished? An early run? A suspicious tale if ever there was one. I’ll be tied up in meetings all day, but please be ready by six o’clock for dinner.
Love you greatly. —Mom
Annie crumpled up the note and shoved it into her backpack.
“Thanks, Nicola,” she said.
“Also, a message has come in, from your intended. I didn’t mean to pry but you left your e-mail open. Anyhoo, the computer is available if you’d like to use it.”
“Okay. Thanks for letting me know. By the way, do you know my friend…”
“Yes, we’re acquainted,” she said. “How’s your brother?”
“’Bout the same,” Gus said. He turned to Annie. “The older brother might have the responsibilities but everyone loves the kid brother more.”
“Give him my warmest regards!” Nicola said.
“It would be my pleasure.” Gus extended a hand toward Nicola, and then to Annie. “Well, I best be off. Cheers, ladies. And, Annie, please. As appealing a proposition as it might seem, try to keep yourself out of trouble. That smile helps but it’s not going to cover up every crime.”
Twenty-nine
Subject:
Please be careful
From:
[email protected]
Date:
Nov 5, 2001 6:48
To:
[email protected]
This old man is a good old charmer … too charming if you ask me. The research must be fun and the duchess … she’s wild. But Annie, don’t get yourself into any messes you can’t get out of. Of course you can’t undo the transcript stealing. So yes, absolutely, read them. I guess “fake researcher” is turning into the real deal. Seems like you’re good at it.
So. The war. It’s going well so far. We’re almost done. Just kidding. We’re still on the MEU, making our way toward AFG. I wish we’d get there already. There’s a lot of nervous energy on the float, all that damn anticipation.