Edit to Death : Myrtle Clover #14

Chapter Fourteen

When Elaine spotted Myrtle, she carefully led Jack over toward her. This was difficult because of the chairs in the way, and also because Margaret Goodner was swaying on her feet between them.

When she finally reached Myrtle, Myrtle shook her head. "Sorry that you had to see this debauchery, Elaine. And poor Jack."

Jack, however, seemed focused solely on the pizza. There were still several boxes of it and he was eyeing it hungrily.

"No, this is wonderful!" said Elaine. "I needed another photo for Sloan for the paper. He promised me I could put something else in as filler. I mean, I like putting photos up on the paper's social media, but it seems much more authentic to have it in print. I thought everyone would be all stiff and polite and not want their pictures taken. But they're so relaxed. This is perfect."

Myrtle looked doubtfully at the room. "Not my definition of perfect, but go right ahead. They certainly are relaxed."

And very happy. There was still a lot of raucous laughter. Unwisely, no one seemed to be alarmed or on alert about the fact that someone was taking pictures. Including Miles, who appeared to be taking a short nap.

Georgia sidled up to Myrtle again. "Good meeting!" she bellowed. "Tippy should go out of town more often."

Tippy would be horrified when she returned from her trip and saw the pictures in the paper of her book club. Myrtle was ready to talk of other things.

"I suppose so," she said. "Listen, Georgia, I have a question for you. I can't totally remember when you went to school, although I know I taught you. Are you roughly the same age as Pearl Epps's kids?"

Georgia's face grew solemn. "Older. But my younger sister, Peggy, was their age. Such a mess about Pearl, isn't it? What's Red think about all of it?"

Myrtle made a face. "As if Red would share what he thinks with me. You know him better than that. He's just trying to pick through the evidence and talk to people and figure out what happened to Pearl and Nell."

Georgia shook her head. "Sure seems crazy. Peggy was pretty good friends with Rose back in the day. Course, she don't live here anymore." She saw the look on Myrtle's face and hastily corrected herself. "Doesn't live here anymore. Sorry. It's the booze talking."

"Do you remember much about the time surrounding when Tara Blanton went missing?" asked Myrtle.

Georgia said, "A little. Peggy talked a good deal about it at the time. She was real upset. Tara was a friend of hers, too, because Rose hung out with her all the time. And Boone was dating Tara."

Myrtle raised her eyebrows. "Boone was dating her? But I'd never heard anything about that."

"Tara's parents weren't real happy about their daughter dating Boone," said Georgia. "But Boone talked about it all the time at school."

Myrtle frowned. It had been a long time. "I know he was very mischievous in class. Spitballs and passing notes and whatnot. Actually, he's sort of mischievous even now. But I didn't realize that he was all that bad that parents wouldn't like him."

Georgia said, "Well, sometimes people act out at home where they don't at school. Yeah, Boone was a kind of bad boy. He drank a lot, smoked, did all that kind of stuff. Was sort of disrespectful, too. I remember one day that Peggy was hanging out with Rose and Boone and invited them to come over to our house. Daddy wouldn't let Boone in the door."

Myrtle said with a chuckle, "That must have been awkward."

"Oh, Peggy was very tearful over it, but Daddy was determined. Boone ended up leaving and Rose stayed for a while, but it was definitely weird after that."