Arsenic And Old Books

EIGHT

The writer’s gaze shifted for a moment in my direction, and I caught a slight start as she recognized me. She inclined her head to acknowledge me, but her attention moved right back to Beck Long and the young woman beside him.

There was enough bustle and buzz of conversation in the bakery that I couldn’t make out what Beck Long and Helen Louise were talking about. He didn’t appear to be ordering anything, so I wondered whether this was a stop on his campaign trail after all.

I hated the last couple of months before an election. The media bombarded us with political ads, almost all of which consisted of mud being flung in every direction. The choice often came down to voting for the least objectionable candidate, rather than for the truly outstanding one. I hadn’t yet made up my mind about Beck Long or his opponent, Jasper Singletary, but I had to admit their campaigns seemed to be running cleaner than most. A little dignity in politics went a long way these days, sad to say.

I heard the bell on the door jingle to signal a new arrival, and at the same time, the buzz of conversation grew louder. I turned to see who had entered and spotted a group of five men making their way toward the counter. After a moment I recognized the tallest among them, Jasper Singletary.

This ought to prove interesting, I thought. The two candidates—both hometown boys—crossing paths in a local business.

Diesel tapped my thigh with one paw, and I looked down at him. He chirped a couple of times, and I interpreted the sounds as a question: Where’s my chicken that Helen Louise always gives me?

“In a minute, boy,” I said in an undertone. “She’s busy right now. We’ll both have to wait.”

The cat stared at me for a long moment before he resumed his position at my feet beneath the table. I found it uncanny sometimes the way he seemed to understand what I told him.

When I focused my attention again on the two politicos and their opposing camps, I saw Singletary making his way toward Beck Long. Beck didn’t appear to have noticed Singletary yet, but then the latter spoke.

“Good morning, Beck. Glad-handing the voters, I see.” Singletary’s tone was jocular, yet I thought I heard a sharp edge to it.

The noise of conversation in the bakery suddenly dropped to a low hum as most people tuned in to the chat between the two young men.

I regarded the pair for a moment. They definitely formed a study in contrast. Beck Long was the proverbial golden boy—tall, blond, blue-eyed, with the body of a trained athlete. Top of his class in law school, partner in a successful practice in Athena, he seemed to achieve anything he wanted with ease. Jasper Singletary had the dark good looks of the Black Irish, as my late aunt would have said. Not quite as tall, chunkier like a heavyweight boxer, he also had a pugnacious attitude—or so I had gathered from reading about some of his encounters with the press.

“Hey, Jasper.” Long turned with a smile and an outstretched hand. “Yeah, you know the drill. Have to get out into the community and talk to everyone.” The two shook hands. “Have you met the owner of this fine bakery, Helen Louise Brady?”

Singletary inclined his head at Helen Louise, who smiled warmly at him. “I have indeed. She makes some of the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten.”

Beck laughed. “Amen to that.” He patted his trim waistline. “I’ve spent many an hour in the gym to compensate for it, let me tell you.”

“I’d love to work out in a gym,” Singletary said with a slight smile. “I have bigger priorities for my budget, however, so I have to settle for jogging around the neighborhood.”

Singletary’s reference to his budget was a subtle nod to the fact that, unlike Beck Long, he hadn’t grown up in a privileged, wealthy family. The son of an impoverished local farmer with only a small holding, he had worked two jobs to put himself through college and law school. His ambition and hard work paid off as he became a successful lawyer in Memphis, but in the past year he’d moved back to Athena, evidently to enter politics in his home state.

Long gave little outward sign that he registered Singletary’s jab. “You’re lucky you’ve got the knees for it. I guess I played too much tennis, because my knees give me heck these days.”

I remembered reading that Long had been a tennis champion all through high school and college and had even flirted with the idea of turning professional, but decided instead to stick with family tradition.

“That’s too bad,” Singletary said in a patently insincere tone. “My advisors and I are planning to have lunch in this excellent establishment, and our schedule is tight. Have you finished here?” He waved a hand toward the cash register.

“Yes, I’m afraid we have to push on. No time for lunch today. So many folks to see. We just stopped by to say hello to Ms. Brady.”

Long’s entourage of five evidently took that as their cue, because they started moving away from the counter and toward the door. Long turned back to Helen Louise and nodded. “Always good to see you, Helen Louise. Let me say again how much my parents and I enjoyed your food the other night.”

“My pleasure, Beck,” Helen Louise said.

I watched as Long paused on his way toward the door to shake a few hands. My attention switched back to the counter, however, when I heard Helen Louise greet Singletary.

“Nice to see you again, Jasper,” she said. “We have that chicken salad you like so much today. How about that?”

Singletary grinned. “You know my weakness, so how can I say no?” He motioned for his companions to join him at the register.

I listened for a few moments but when I realized all they were talking about was food, I lost interest. I hoped they would finish soon because I was getting hungrier by the minute, I realized. Diesel chose that second to reappear from under the table and tap my thigh again. “I know,” I told him. “I’m hungry, too. Won’t be long, though, I’m sure.”

The cat appeared to understand, though the look he gave me was far from happy. He meowed twice and slunk under the table as if disgusted.

When I focused on the register area again, there was no line. I surveyed the room and spotted Singletary and his companions sitting on the far side of the bakery from me. They occupied a table next to the small one where Kelly Grimes sat. I was surprised to see her still here, because I thought she might be following Beck Long discreetly for either personal or professional reasons.

Instead I noticed her shooting covert sideways glances at Singletary—or so I thought. He sat at about a forty-five-degree angle from her spot in the bakery. From what I could tell, though, he didn’t appear to notice her. Perhaps she was hanging around to get a chance to talk to him. A good writer wouldn’t turn down an opportunity like this, I reckoned.

She did nothing but continue to sit there, however, as I watched. I became fascinated by the way she glanced his way, then back down at her plate, at regular intervals. What was going on here? She wasn’t shy; I knew that. So why didn’t she get up and go to his table?

“Are you sitting there ogling another woman, Charlie Harris?”

Helen Louise startled me. I had been so engrossed in watching Kelly Grimes, I hadn’t noticed her leaving the cash register and walking over to my table.

She grinned at me as she leaned down to give me a quick kiss. Diesel warbled at her, determined to be noticed. She laughed. “I’d never forget you, honey.” She rubbed his head, and he purred contentedly. I knew it wouldn’t be long, though, before he would be hunting for his usual treats from her.

“How could I ogle any other woman when you’re around?” I asked.

Helen Louise grinned impishly. “Do I take that to mean that you do ogle other women when I’m not around?”

“Oh, yes, I roam the streets of Athena just looking for women to leer at,” I said as I rolled my eyes at her.

“You cad, you. I didn’t realize you were such a roué,” she said in a mock-horrified tone, “or I never would have gotten involved with you.”

“You’re just feeling giddy because you’ve had two young, attractive men fawning over you.” I frowned. “I had no idea your affections were so easily shifted, and all for a pretty face.” I shook my head, my expression doleful.

Her peal of laughter made me smile. “I do love you so,” she whispered as she bent to graze my cheek with a kiss.

I grinned at her. “Ditto. Now, how about some food, woman? The cat and I are practically malnourished, we’ve waited so long for you to stop flirting and take care of us.”

Diesel warbled loudly, and Helen Louise and I exchanged a smile.

“Guess I’d better feed you right away,” she said. “I can’t have you fading away to nothing in my bakery. I’ll be right back.” She scratched Diesel’s head before she headed to the kitchen.

I was a lucky man, and I knew it. Helen Louise was not only smart, beautiful, and talented, she also shared my goofy sense of humor. We laughed a lot together, and I relished every moment spent with her.

Helen Louise’s teasing about my ogling other women notwithstanding, I couldn’t help glancing over at Kelly Grimes again. I was curious to see whether she would approach Jasper Singletary.

While I watched, she gazed back and forth between him and her plate. Then she paused as she seemed finally to catch his glance. She started to push her chair back, and I looked at Singletary.

He frowned and shook his head so slightly that I thought for a moment I imagined it.

Kelly Grimes, half standing by now, sat down again. She looked annoyed.

That little interchange was decidedly odd. What was going on here?