Bonnie of Evidence - By Maddy Hunter Page 0,81
an electrical charge. “We need reinforcements.”
He laughed. “And just where do you plan on finding them?”
I looked beyond the ticket counter to the café nestled at the front of the building. “Around the corner. There’s a whole room full of them.” I poked my finger in his sternum. “Here’s Plan B: You put a bead on Erik and Alex. I’ll take care of everything else.”
They were scattered at tables throughout the room, enjoying hot beverages with slices of cheesecake and pie. I pulled a chair up to the table where Tilly, George, and Margi were sitting, and in a low, conspiratorial voice, explained what I needed them to do.
“What if they notice us?” asked Margi.
“I want them to notice you. That’s the whole point.”
“Would you mind telling us why you feel this is necessary?” asked Tilly.
“For now, let’s just say I have a hunch, and if my hunch is right, your help will be like a strategic defense system.”
“Marion’s gonna be so disappointed she missed out,” lamented George. “She even brought a wig along this time, just in case you asked her to tail some innocent shmuck you thought should be accused of murder.”
“We can wear wigs?” Margi tittered.
I fired her a hard look. “No wigs.”
“You want us to spread the word to everyone?” Tilly confirmed.
“All the usual suspects, except Mom and Dad. If Mom participates, she’ll waste too much time trying to arrange all of you by height.”
George retrieved his phone from its holster. “Too bad our phones aren’t working. It’d be real easy to shoot one text off to everyone. I guess now we’re gonna have to talk to them.”
Tilly drained her cup and with an assist from her cane, boosted herself to her feet. “I must tell you, Emily. I was very unimpressed with Alex’s response to my question at lunch. If NASA’s rocket scientists are all as uninformed as he is, no wonder they cancelled the space program.”
Margi made sad cow eyes at George. “So what color is Marion’s wig?”
A shattering crash reverberated through the room, followed by a stinging epithet from Stella Gordon, directed at her husband. “Stupid ass! I told you to keep your elbows off the table!” She flagged down a clerk behind the customer counter. “Cleanup crew needed over here! My husband’s fault. I had nothing to do with it.” She got up from the table, leaving Bill to deal with the thousand shards of dinnerware scattered over the floor.
“Leave, already!” Bill retaliated. “See if I care.”
Alex and Erik gathered their belongings and stood up, abandoning their plum spot by the window.
“Showtime,” I said as I watched them head out the door behind Stella. “Okay, gang, time to roll.”
I caught Wally’s eye as I strolled back out to the ticket counter area. He nodded toward the restroom sign and gave me a thumbs up. Looking casually back toward the café, I saw Tilly, George, and Margi making the rounds at each table, sharing the plan in quiet whispers.
Yes! This was going to work.
I paused outside the restroom area, noting the half-dozen people queued up to use the pay phone. Now that was a rare sight—
a public phone. I dug my camera out of my shoulder bag and snapped
a picture, just in case my future grandchildren ever wanted to see an example of something that had become extinct … besides penny candy and TV rabbit ears.
Stella Gordon wandered past me and headed down a wide hallway toward the museum section. Erik and Alex emerged from the men’s room and strutted down the hall behind her, garnering a few admiring looks from female tourists, and a few giggles from the younger set. Wally sent me a purposeful look and struck out after them.
“Pretend I’m not talking to you,” Alice said out the corner of her mouth as she paused surreptitiously beside me. “I just want you to know that I’ve been hitting the gym at the Senior Center five times a week, so I’m up for the challenge.” Without another word, she caught up to George, who was leading the charge down the hallway after Erik and Alex.
Osmond shuffled toward me, giving me the eye as he went down on one knee to tie his shoe. “Don’t let on I’m talking to you,” he said in an undertone, “but I’ve been taking special classes at the Senior Center to be ready for a day like this. I won’t let you down, Emily. And don’t worry about criminal charges. I’ll be long dead before the