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In the background, I thought I heard voices murmuring, and I said, “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
“Oh, I’m showing a house, but it’s their second viewing, so they don’t really need me for anything. They just wanted to do a second walk-through so they could make sure their furniture would fit.”
Josie sounded breezy and unconcerned, although I couldn’t help feeling guilty for the way I’d called while she was working. Still, I thought I might as well let it go. She knew what she was doing.
“Okay,” I replied. “I was just wondering if you knew anyone in town named Emily. She’d be in her early twenties, with long, light brown hair. Pretty.”
“That sounds like Emily Porter,” Josie said at once, although something in her voice sounded faintly disapproving. “She inherited quite a bit of money from one of her great-aunts, and bought a house from me about a year ago. I have a feeling if she doesn’t watch what she’s doing, she’ll be out of cash before she’s twenty-five…but I’m sure that’s none of my business.”
Since I was alone, I allowed myself a smile. Josie always did have a way of telling you a variety of intimate details about various people in the town, generally followed by the disclaimer that it wasn’t any of her business.
“Where’s Emily’s house?” I asked, and even though I couldn’t see her, I got the impression that Josie’s expression had suddenly sharpened.
“Why?”
“I, um….” I fumbled for a plausible explanation as to why I’d go seeking out a girl I didn’t even know, then said hastily, “She came in the store and bought a pair of earrings, but she left the package behind. Since she paid cash, I didn’t know who she was or where she lived. That’s why I thought I’d ask you.”
“Oh, that does sound like Emily. She always was something of a scatter-brain. Well, her house is on Bailey Street, near the top of the hill. Number thirty-two.”
“Thanks, Josie,” I said, excitement prickling through me. Maybe this would be an utter dead end, but I had to try. If nothing else, I might learn a little more about Boden Marsh from someone outside Lilith Black’s orbit.
“It’s nothing,” Josie replied. “Although I do think it’s going above and beyond for you to stop by her house. Do you want her number? You could call and have her come down to the shop.”
“No, that’s fine,” I returned hastily. “I’ve been cooped up in here all day — it’ll be good to get out for a little bit.”
“Cooped up after your lunch with Calvin Standingbear, you mean.”
It truly amazed me how Josie seemed to have spies everywhere. There hadn’t even been that many people eating at The Flatiron when Calvin and I had shown up, and yet the news had certainly gotten to her fast enough.
Ingrid being chatty, most likely.
“Yes,” I said, doing my best to sound casual, even though I guessed it was a lost cause. “We had lunch.”
“And?”
“And…I think it’s going to be okay,” I told her, which seemed safe enough. After all, Calvin and I had already determined that we wanted to make a go of things. I just wouldn’t provide Josie with any real details.
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” A pause while a man’s voice said something indistinct, and then Josie added, “I have to run. But I hope you can catch Emily at home.”
So do I,I thought, even as I said a quick goodbye and ended the call.
And also, thank the Goddess — and all the other gods and goddesses of the various pantheons — for Josie Woodrow. Sometimes the town busybody was exactly what you needed.
I almost grabbed my purse and ran out the door there and then, but I knew I needed to put some food in Archie’s bowl, just in case this took longer than I thought and I ended up staying away until well after the cat’s six-thirty suppertime. So I got a can of cat food out of the pantry, opened it, and dumped the gooey, fish-smelling mass into his bowl, then called out, “Archie! I fed you!”
No response for a moment, and then he wandered into the dining room and sent a baleful glance toward me. “It’s only five forty-five.”
“I know,” I said, trying to sound patient. “But I’m going out and don’t know when I’ll be back. I wanted to make sure you were taken care of.”
That was generally the point where someone would have said “thank you.” Since it was Archie, he only gave a dismissive sniff and headed back down the hall.
I told myself to count to five…or maybe fifteen.
No, I didn’t have that kind of time. It was still early for most people to be thinking of eating dinner, but I couldn’t dismiss the possibility that Emily might decide to head out somewhere to get some takeout or whatever.
Instead, I sent a quick message to Calvin, telling him I wanted to go talk to Emily Porter, since I thought she might be connected to Boden Marsh. I’d hesitated before doing so, but then decided it was better to face his wrath for meddling in the investigation than to walk blind into a situation without any backup. At least this way, he’d know where I’d gone.
That matter handled, I went downstairs and got into my car. The portable carport Brett Woodrow put up for me had reduced some of the intense heat that had been baking into the car all day, but I still felt as though I was gasping for air as I turned on the A/C full blast and cracked the windows to let out some of the accumulated heat. Since I wasn’t going far, I wondered if the car would even have a chance to cool down before I reached my destination.
