Page 19 of Magic Blooms
Gerry snorted. “Yeah, I’ve heard about it. Whole town has by now. You know how fast news travels here. And that’s especially bad news. It’s everyone’s favorite.” He smiled wide, giving me a clear view of his coffee-stained teeth.
“What has everyone been saying about it?”
“No one knows anything. But I’ve heard mumblings of a murder.”
My heart leapt inside my chest. “Who has been saying that?” I asked, belatedly remembering that Joshua had told me to stay quiet.
Gerry shrugged. “Heck if I know. Heard the sheriff and his crew think it was poison, though. I reckon that means you should be talking to Jasmine instead of here with me.”
Okay, I couldn’t be quiet about that one. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, if anyone knows how to poison someone, it’s that b… witch.” He paused and shot me an ingratiating grin. I wasn’t buying it though. “You see, because she’s got all those spells and potions in her shop.”
“Her shop sells spices and candles,” said Joshua in a tone that even I didn’t believe. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“I know everyone is all hush-hush about these things, but who are we kidding? Jasmine is the peddler of half the magic in Elyria, and now we’ve got human guests falling over dead. If she’s not the one doing it, chances are good she sold the poison to whoever did the deed.”
“We don’t know for sure that anyone has been poisoned.”
He laughed so loudly, it grated on my nerves. “Well, you suspect it, and you think I’m the one who did it. Why else would you be here? Am I right?”
“You and Lorraine haven’t really made a secret of your disdain for each other. I’m not accusing you of anything, Gerry. I just wanted to make sure you and I are on the same page.”
Whoa, did it just get hotter in this room or was it just me? I resisted the urge to fan myself as the two men stared each other down.
“Hey, if you want to come here hurling accusations with no reason at all, go for it. But I can find other guys to do odd jobs around here and you know that. So, let me ask again, do you really want to force my hand? It’s not like your pockets are overflowing, boy.”
Joshua refused to back down. “If you could’ve replaced me, you would’ve done it years ago. We both know you can get cheaper help, but at least my repairs actually last.”
To my surprise, Gerry laughed. “One of these days I’ll get rid of you,” he muttered. “But if you want to find out more, I suggest you talk to Art.”
“Who’s Art?” I asked, leaning forward as I adjusted myself in the uncomfortable seat beneath me.
Gerry’s attention settled on me. “Better question, who are you?”
I tightened my lips but reminded myself that I didn’t have to lie. “I’m a friend of Lorraine’s. I’m trying to make sure she’s protected.”
Gerry let out a laugh at that. “Trust me, that old bat only cares about herself. You can take that to the bank.”
Take it to what? A bank was where you put money. I knew that from my interior language translator, but why had Gerry turned the conversation toward money? None of it had changed hands, and?—
“Art is the local doctor here,” said Joshua, derailing my wild train of thought. “And because he’s the only doctor, he’s also the coroner. I’m pretty sure he’s not able to share any details about the case, though. Professional ethics and all that.”
Gerry shrugged. “Ha. Maybe he’s not supposed to. You get a few drinks in him, though, and he’ll tell you whatever you need to know.”
“Art has a drinking problem?”
What’s a drinking problem? I’d need to ask Joshua and the others to stop using so many colloquialisms and slang expressions so that I could better follow the conversations.
“Not a problem, per se. He just doesn’t know how to shut up. He’ll also tell you all about Hopkins’s diabetes and old Jenkins’s heart attack. A whole litany of things you never wanted to know. Y’all have fun with those conversations. Because despite your suspicions, this doesn’t concern me.”
Well, that seemed like a reasonable course of action. As much as I’d instantly detested Gerry, I also didn’t believe he was to blame for the death at Fox’s End.
At least he’d been willing to talk, though. That meant we had somewhere to go after this. Which was great, considering how little I knew about this world.
Joshua didn’t seem to view our conversation as a success though. “It will be at least a few hours before Art even starts an autopsy,” he groaned, running both hands through his hair.
Gerry just smiled. “Well then. It sounds like I’ll get some peace from you for at least the rest of the day. Now if you’re done, you can see yourself out.”
