A Body in the Attic : Myrtle Clover #16

Chapter Three

Miles turned a bit green at the thought of the diner. "I'm not sure fried food would sit well on my stomach right now."

"They have plenty of other options," said Myrtle. "You know you usually end up with a salad over there. Besides, Red wants us to leave and he'll continue glaring at me until we do."

Miles was finally, and reluctantly, convinced and soon they were walking into Bo's Diner in downtown Bradley. The restaurant hadn't changed in decades with its vinyl booths, laminated menus, and linoleum flooring.

Before long, Myrtle was contentedly eating a pimento cheese hot dog and French fries. Miles looked askance at her plate and pushed around salad greens without any of them actually getting put into his mouth.

Myrtle watched him for a moment as she took a sip of her iced tea. "You're not really going to get any nutritional benefits that way, you know. The food must be digested. You're just pushing it into the corners of your plate to make it appear you've eaten something."

Miles sighed. "I'm just not that hungry."

"Thinking about Darren again?" asked Myrtle.

Miles nodded and Myrtle pursed her lips in thought. "As a matter of fact, there's one thing I can distract you with. I'd like to discuss something with you."

Miles frowned. "That sounds ominous."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine, Miles. It's just that I need you to go to book club with me tomorrow afternoon."

Miles pushed his salad so far to the edge of the plate that a bit hit the table. He scowled at it.

Myrtle continued, "You haven't been to the last three meetings. It's a source of some concern with the ladies. You know how you brighten their day by being there."

Myrtle smirked and Miles rolled his eyes at her. He said, "It's a little dispiriting to attend book club when there are only ten minutes allotted to the chosen book. And, frankly, when the allotted book isn't even worth ten minutes."

"I'd agree. But you know your methods aren't exactly helpful. We have to ease into literature with that club and those women. You practically killed book club when you introduced The Mayor of Casterbridge."

Miles sighed. "I can tell you have a plan."

"I do. I already changed the book club meeting this month to the library's community room to remind everyone that our club is about books." Myrtle sat back in the booth and beamed at Miles.

Miles said grudgingly, "It might work. But you realize the problem with that approach is the alcohol. The library won't allow it. The rest of book club won't want to show up if it means giving up their vodka and tonics. Attendance might be very low."

Myrtle said in a severe voice, "The book club has become entirely too tipsy in recent months. I believe a drying out stretch might be best. Besides, we can still have food in the community room and the snacks are also popular. And that's another reason why I need you to come. Like I mentioned, you're a big draw."

"I haven't read the book."

"Believe me, Miles, no one has read the book. Probably not even Tippy, who proposed the silly thing. I have a good idea for the next book, though."

"The Sound and the Fury?" asked Miles hopefully.

"I'll overlook your little Faulkner obsession. There's no way book club can handle his streams of consciousness. They'll end up quite dizzy. No, I thought we should revert to high school English and try House of Mirth. I have the feeling the group will enjoy it. Or they won't read it, which will put us at the same point we are now. At any rate, nothing bad will happen with that particular book choice." Myrtle polished off the last bite of her hot dog.