Page 103 of Murder By the Millions
“Absolutely,” Ulla chimed. “Literary friends forever.” She winked at Chloe and said, “Good luck.” Then she guided Shayna toward the door. At the threshhold, she peeked over her shoulder.
I gave her a thumbs-up. I wouldn’t reveal her secret. I believed she really was ending things with Iggie. As for him, however, he would step out on Shayna again, but his deceitfulness wasn’t my business. Unless Shayna and I became friends.
Chloe tilted her head. “Those were new customers.”
Tegan filled her in on the impromptu book club.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help,” Chloe said.
“Allie and I managed.”
Chloe touched her cheeks. “Oh, I must look a mess. I’ll be right back.” She rushed into the stockroom.
At the same time, the door to the shop opened, and Lillian’s grandmother Magda strode in. She pivoted decisively toward the display of blind-date books.
I nudged Tegan. “Go tend to Chloe. I’ll help Magda.” I sauntered to her, and as I drew near, I gasped. “Magda, what happened to your arm?” She was clad in a summery sleeveless dress. Her right arm was blotchy with black and blue bruises. “Did someone attack you?”
“Heavens, no. If they did, I’d hurt them. I know karate.” She snorted. “No, dear, I’m a klutz. I was on the porch, changing shoes—one my age shouldn’t wear wedges—and the laces on one snarled, and the shoe refused to come off, and, well, I teetered and fell. Down the stairs. Onto my shoulder.” She laughed at herself. “Yes, it hurt, but I hobbled up the stairs to go inside for some ice. That was when I realized I’d locked myself out.” Sheknuckled her temple. “I’m brain dead lately, I’m telling you. But I absolutely had to get inside to fetch my purse before going to tea with my friend, so I crawled through my schnauzer’s doggy door and caught my arm on the edge.”
I winced, imagining the pain. On the other hand, I couldn’t believe scraping the doggy door would cause so much bruising. “Magda, is it possible you broke your arm or shoulder when you fell?”
She tsked. “I made a poultice to treat it. I’ll be fine. Don’t give it a second thought.” Lillian had told me her grandmother was a naturalist who refused to take medicine.
“But maybe going to a doctor and getting an X-ray—”
“No, sirree. The last time I did such a ridiculous thing, I ended up having a hip replacement. I’ll be fine. I didn’t come in for sympathy. I want a blind date with a book. I can’t wait to see what he looks like.” She giggled and motioned to the array of new books I’d wrapped with brown paper. “And I’ll need one for Lillian. She said it would be great fun to chat about them, and once we finished, we’d swap.”
How sweet of Lillian to engage her grandmother in this way. I missed my nana and wished she was still here to talk about books and food and life.
“Stop staring at my arm,” Magda said. “Drat it all. I should have worn long sleeves, but it’s so warm out.”
“Fine. No more staring.” I made a mental note to text Lillian and give her a heads-up. “I know you love to read romance. What else appeals to you?”
“I also love a good murder.”
I flinched, thinking of Jason, but quickly recovered and picked up the wrapped book that I knew wasInto the Night.I handed it to her.
She read aloud: “‘A gilded cage, a shocking murder. Riveting suspense. A high-profile celebrity.’ This sounds good. I really enjoyed the movies Hitchcock made.”
Next, I handed herEvery Summer After.
She recited the words I’d written on the wrapping aloud: “‘A radiant debut. Six summers in the making. A man who can cook.’” She squinted at me. “I believe I’ve read this one, but I’ll bet Lillian hasn’t. She prefers historical novels and nonfiction works about theater.”
Chuckling, she headed toward the sales counter. I followed to ring her up.
“You know,” she said, “ever since I saw you the other day, I can’t get Cora Yeager out of my mind.”
“Why?”
“Well, I told you I knew Jason as a boy, but I didn’t mention Cora was my friend and Cora’s daughter and son-in-law were friends with Jason’s parents. I didn’t omit it intentionally, mind you. It merely slipped my mind. I’m forgetting all sorts of things lately. Age … it’s a real thing.” She chuckled. “Anyway, I was telling Lillian about Cora’s connection to Jason—remember my daughter babysat him?—and she said I had to tell you, because I happened to know that for years, Cora’s daughter kept in touch with the Gardners via postcards and the occasional Christmas card. You know how it goes.” She leaned in, as if she was imparting a well-guarded secret. “I think they were hoping to appease sweet Delilah because she and Jason—”
“Delilah!” I exclaimed. “Was that the name of Cora’s daughter?”
“Yes. I told you.”
“No, you didn’t. Jason was in love with a woman named Delilah. Could it be the same person?”
“Heavens, I don’t know. It’s a rare name, to be sure, but Delilah was six years younger. A bitty thing. She and Jasonhorsed around, of course, when the parents would get together for weekend barbecues. Cora’s daughter had dogs, and Jason loved playing with them. Delilah followed him everywhere. She revered him like an older brother.” She snorted. “When he and his family journeyed west, Delilah was inconsolable.” Magda inhaled to refill her lungs before continuing. “That’s why a few months later, Cora’s daughter and son-in-law moved lock, stock, and barrel to New York.”
