A Body in the Trunk : Myrtle Clover Book 12

Chapter Eighteen

"Now it's time for the next month's selection to be revealed," said Tippy. "And then the meeting will be adjourned. It's Myrtle's turn to pick."

There was a nervous murmuring in the room.

Myrtle stood up. "I'd originally thought we'd focus on one of my favorite books, The Sound and the Fury, by my beloved Faulkner."

The murmuring escalated into a horrified pitch.

"But, after second thoughts and the urgings of my adviser, I've decided to pick The Outsiders," said Myrtle.

Tippy beamed at her. "What a marvelous idea, Myrtle. I think most of us have actually even read the book."

Although the meeting was officially adjourned, the book club members now started to eat in earnest, as if the rigor of the literary discussions had made them ravenous.

Myrtle walked up to Sally and said, "Thanks again for delivering that story yesterday for me. How were things at the newspaper office? And Sloan?"

Sally laughed. "I don't know how Sloan finds anything in that office. He put your story on top of a huge stack of paper. I was surprised to see it in the Bugle this morning! I thought it might have been lost in the piles."

Myrtle said quickly, "Yes, it's a disaster in there. But I think that's where Sloan gets all his sloppiness out. I've been at his house before and it was neat as a pin, believe it or not." She crossed her fingers behind her back at the untruth. Sloan's house had been many things, but 'neat as a pin' it certainly wasn't. "He's such a nice fellow, don't you think?"

Sally colored a bit. "He is. It was good to catch up with him." She hesitated. "He asked if I wanted to meet him for lunch tomorrow."

"Excellent!" said Myrtle, beaming.

"I think he just wanted to continue our conversation. We were remembering old times from high school. And then, after I accepted, I wondered if maybe he was planning on offering me a job at the paper?" asked Sally. "He'd asked me if I was working and that sort of thing."

Myrtle said, "Oh, I doubt that. He has a full staff at the paper. In fact, he likely has too many paid employees. No, I'm quite sure he intended the lunch to be personal. He'd mentioned to me recently that he'd love having someone to go to lunch or dinner with, or to go to the movies."

Tippy swept up and Myrtle glared at her. Matchmakers didn't have it easy, that was for sure.

Tippy said, "I just wanted to check in with you, Sally, and see how you were doing, dear. Is there anything that you need? I'm running errands as soon as we leave here—is there anything I can do for you? Grocery? Post office? Drugstore?"

"No, thanks, everything is going well. It was wonderful to come to your book club meeting today—thanks so much for having me," said Sally. "It was such an interesting discussion."

Myrtle looked doubtfully at her. "Was it?"

"Of course it was. It was stimulating," said Tippy. "And I'm sure we'll all enjoy The Outsiders next month, and I hope that you'll join us then, Sally."

"I'll try to," said Sally a little shyly. "Right now, I have lots of time on my hands, but who knows what the next month will be like."

Tippy said kindly, "I have the feeling when the investigation is over and the perpetrator is put in jail that things might start looking up for you. It must be very hard to move on, considering the circumstances."

Tippy, always the lady, was too careful not to directly reference either Lyle or murder. But Sally seemed in the mood to try and talk through her worries.