miss fortune mystery (ff) - jewel of the bayou Read Online Free Page A

those lines.
    “Portrait session!” she scoffed. “Why, the church can keep using the same picture they’ve been using for years. I have no problem with that.”
    She touched her hair as she spoke, and straightened up as if she were already sitting for her portrait. Gertie and Ida Belle were right – she was a tiny bit vain.
    “I imagine they would, but it’s all whatchacallit, digital, something. Anyway, they can’t use the photos they used in the past. Not anymore.”
    “Hmmph,” was her only reply, but she seemed to be thinking. Her first line of defenses had been breached, and it looked like Gertie thought it was time to use the big guns.
    “I know the folks at church sure would hate to leave the space for your picture blank. Heck, the way they do things now, they would probably put in a drawing of an alligator or something, just to spice things up. No telling what people will think is funny these days.”
    I heard Ida Belle snort, and I have to admit that the thought of an alligator representing Mrs. Langstrom wouldn’t be totally inappropriate.
    “Anyway,” Gertie continued, “you know you do have a reputation.”
    I saw that Mrs. Langstrom didn’t much like to hear that. Her eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Gertie cut her off.
    “For best dressed, you know. You always did have flair, Gladys, no matter what anyone said.” She elbowed Ida Belle in the ribs as she said that, which might have been a good idea. The look of surprise on Ida Belle’s face was unmistakable.
    “Best dressed?” Mrs. Langstrom said. “Well, I don’t know about that.”
    Gertie just smiled, and Ida Belle took the opportunity to join in.
    “Right. Let’s not go overboard, now.”
    That got her another nudge in the ribs from Gertie.
    “I’ll bet you never knew that, did you, Lindy,” Gertie said. “Gladys here could really put on a show. And really, Gladys, I have to say that it’s your duty as a Christian and a Baptist to show these girls today how it’s done. Remind folks who you are. Prove you’re not a heathen.”
    Ida Belle snorted again, and dodged the elbow that came flying her way.
    Mrs. Langstrom seemed to be thinking things over, and I started to get my hopes up. After all, if she did get out of the house now and then, I’d have a chance to get out, too. With a little luck, she’d be joining the choir or something, and I’d have an evening off once in a while.
    “You may be right, Gertie,” she said, “and you know I don’t say that lightly.” She pointed a finger at Ida Belle. “As for you, Ida Belle, if you think you’ll ever live long enough to hear me say that you’re right about anything at all, you’ve got another thing coming. And, frankly, I’m surprised to see you taking an interest in things like this. I would think you would have given up on getting your own portrait taken, old as you are.”
    “Old enough to know better than to stuff an old goat into lambswool,” Ida Belle said.
    “I don’t even want to know what you think you mean by that,” Mrs. Langstrom said, “but it appears to me that things haven’t changed much since I saw you last. I imagine things have gone to you-know-where in a handbasket around the church since I became sickly.” She paused and gave a delicate cough. “You, Lindy, go get me a glass of water.”
    “Yes, ma’am!” I said, and I headed to the kitchen.
    “Sickly!” I heard Ida Belle’s voice clear as a bell as I was running water into a glass. It carried.
    “Yes, sickly,” Mrs. Langstrom was saying as I returned. “But not so far gone as to avoid my duty. You just let them know that I’ll be coming by tomorrow evening to sit for my portrait.”
    Having seen Jack lying on the floor plugging in cords and trying to turn that dark old sanctuary into something appropriate for taking pictures that wouldn’t look too much like mug shots, I was afraid that Mrs. Langstrom might be disappointed with her experience tomorrow. But