Sibylline Greetings (Book 2, the LiteraTours Cozy Mystery Series)

Chapter 4 - It's a hard life - Part 2

The mirth died away as Gary's thoughts flipped back to the Jon dilemma.

Should he continue with LiteraTours? The agency? As a salaried project manager, he might well make big bucks. After all, he had studied that stuff. And didn't enjoy it.

"With a decent job and regular hours I would have more time for Jon."

The cat opened a pale green eye.

"Emma would be devastated if I sold the company."

"Mrrrp?"

"Yes, she's gone. But it still feels like treason. And you know what—the tours are fun. Despite these bills." He waved sheaves of paper at the vibrating feline.

"What about the others, hm? Tell me that. Ike has invested all her remaining capital. Lorna and Aline will do anything to make the company fly. I can't disappoint them."

"Mew!"

With that vote of confidence, at least that was what it sounded like, Gladys rose from the keyboard, stretched, stalked to the edge of the desk and plopped onto the floor. From the monitor, a long string of nonsensical characters stared at him where Gladys's paws or her substantial belly, or both, had pushed keys.

As a conversation partner, the cat disappointed.

As much as he hated depending on people, once in a while he needed a human sounding board. Had Emma been around, she would have sorted him out in no time. But she had been gone for over a year. High time he pulled his socks up and stopped hurting. If only things were that easy.

You've got friends, stop this blue funk for heaven's sake.

Gary squinted at the screen until the blurry numbers right at the bottom stabilised. Perhaps, he should wear those reading glasses more often. The numbers revealed it was way too early to meet Adrian in the pub. The place wasn't even open yet.

Lorna and Aline then?

Retired librarians, the couple had been friends of his parents. They had become quasi-aunts and, more recently, junior partners in LiteraTours. The ladies dealt with the bookings, freeing him to coordinate the trips. They also plied him with tea, cakes and homemade food. Great food. Too much of it.

Did he dare risk it?

Well, the fridge was empty.

He pressed the speed-dial button.

"Lorna? Hi there, it's Gary."

"I can see that from the number," an amused voice said into his ear. "Good, means you're at home. We wanted to come over if you don't mind. Any news from Brigitte and Ike? They must have finished with the programme by now."

"They're an hour behind. By the time you get here, we should know what's going on."

###

He was correct on one point, wrong on another.

The phone rang twenty minutes later; it caught him in the middle of matching procurement plans and invoices with bank balances.

The privilege of getting his tourists into the Colline Gate catacombs had set him back quite a bit. But it was worth the money, the cherry on top of an already unique programme. Brian, he of the competition, could try to take over the company as long as he liked. He could never pull off such stunts. The man just didn't have the connections.

The ringtone of his phone penetrated his thoughts. With a sigh, Gary swiped the screen. "Hello?"

"Bonsoir Gary," Brigitte said.