Pity and a Shame

Chapter 6

Janet was settling into a booth at the rear of the diner, her coat piled on the seat next to her and her long fingers skilfully arranging her hair. She hooked it behind her ears, leaving an errant wisp resting on her cheek. Immediately, as he walked the length of the room, he realized how tantalizingly sexy that simple feature was affecting him. He slipped off his jacket and slid into the booth.

"Hi. Great day, eh?"

"Fantastic. Wish it would last like this 'til Christmas." Her smile was wide and sparkly.

"Let's get Halloween and Thanksgiving over with first."

"Fred ambush you with another of his gripes?"

"Yeah, you know Fred. Said the Ingersol cops upset him with their questions. Did they speak to you?"

"They spoke to everyone. I got the young one; he was a jerk. Asked me if I had much to do with Gough, like I had anything to do with him. I said yeah, I give him a perm every Friday."

Brian's cheek muscles tensed. "That was Reese."

"Yeah, well he told me they might be back for more questions." She opened and closed the menu a few times, stuffing it back behind the napkin container. "I think I'll have a Spanish omelette."

Brian turned in his seat and called their order in to Gilly behind the counter. "The older cop knew her from Ingersol," he said as he settled back. "Some place called the Blue Nights?"

"Really?" Janet sounded surprised.

"Yeah you know it?"

"It's a- a soft porn strip club... an after hours place."

It was Brian's turn to be surprised. "How interesting that you know about it."

"I wasn't always a small town girl," she said, flashing her smile again.

"Sounds like I'm going to have to take you someplace for interrogation."

"Oooh, I like the sound of someplace." She giggled aloud when he flushed, leaving him to face Gilly as she arrived to set the table.

"Good thing I put you two in a back booth," she smiled, setting down the cutlery. "If the sheriff gets too frisky, Jan, I'll round up a posse."

"Alright! All right. You've had your fun you two, now you buzz off."

><><><><

Brian turned and ambled back up the street to his office. Lunch was pleasant, with more of the same banter and a few pieces of gossip from Janet about some women of the town. The wife of Judge Otis Howerchuck for example, aired a complaint about the state of Gough's farm, which bordered their property, and how now it might go to someone who would maintain it properly.

They had had nothing but trouble from the dead recluse. Ethel Howerchuck made no bones about being pleased with the recent circumstances. Brian thought he might drum up some excuse to talk to the judge. Fred Garrison watched for Brian to return, and hurried out to catch the sheriff as he was going into the courthouse.

Brian bluffed his excuses, promised something a little later, and skipped up the stairs to his office.

><><><><

Doc Butler nibbled at the digestive cookie, ignoring the tiny shower of crumbs spilling down the front of his shirt. Taking his time, he carefully read his copy of the Ingersol police report. The tepid coffee in his old mug sat unnoticed, like the cookie crumbs, as he turned the page and slowly set the file down. He opened his cigarette package and shook one out, lighting it and inhaling deeply.