This Old Souse Read Online Free

Judith’s window, “ask them who lives here.”
    â€œHi,” Judith called. “Could you tell us something?”
    The taller of the two came into the street and stood by the SUV. “Are you lost?”
    â€œNo,” Judith replied with her friendliest smile. “Do you know who lives in this wonderful old Spanish house?”
    The woman frowned slightly. “Why do you want to know?”
    Judith shifted into her small-fib-in-a-good-cause mode. “It’s exactly the kind of house my husband and I’ve been looking for. That style is very hard to find in this city. I wondered if it might be for sale. It looks deserted.”
    â€œHeavens, no,” the woman replied. “I doubt very much if the owners would want to sell. They’ve lived there for years.”
    â€œThen,” Judith said, keeping her smile fixed in place, “they might be thinking of moving to a smaller place. I mean, if they’re getting up in years.”
    â€œDoubtful,” the woman said, opening the SUV’s door.
    The second woman was already in the passenger seat. She leaned over, calling to her friend. “Come on, Glenda, let’s go. We’re supposed to meet Maddy at one.”
    Judith waved a hand. “Please—wait. Do you know the owners’ names?”
    Glenda, who had started to get into the SUV, shot Judith an exasperated look. “Yes. They’re Dick andJane Bland. Now will you please move your car so we can get out of here and go to lunch?” She sat down hard in the driver’s seat and slammed the door.
    â€œTwerp,” Renie growled as she took her time starting the Camry.
    â€œWell, now you know.” Judith took off her glasses and slipped them back into their leather case. “An elderly couple named Bland live in your so-called mystery house. Are you satisfied?”
    The question was met with an ominous silence. On the way back from Langford, Judith deliberately steered the conversation in directions other than the Spanish house. Renie’s responses were terse, however, and her short chin was set at a pugnacious angle.
    They had crossed the bridge over the ship canal when Judith realized that Renie wasn’t in the right-hand lane to make the turn onto Heraldsgate Hill.
    â€œHey!” she cried. “Where are we going? I’ve got to get home.”
    â€œOpen the glove compartment,” Renie commanded. “Get out the phone book I use for my cell.”
    â€œDammit,” Judith began, but obeyed. “I really don’t have time for this. Whatever this is,” she added.
    â€œIt may only be a detour,” Renie retorted. “Look up the Blands.”
    As fast as she could, Judith flipped through to the residential B section. There were a handful of Blands but no Richard, Rich, Rick, Dick, or any initials that might be the couple on Moonfleet Street. “Drat,” said Judith, returning the directory to the glove compartment. “Now I am getting mad at you.”
    â€œOh, be a sport, coz,” Renie urged. “How manytimes have you dragged me into all sorts of weird situations, not to mention occasionally risking my life and all my limbs?”
    Judith grimaced. Renie had gone far beyond the call of kinship to help Judith solve her own mysteries, most of which had exposed them both to danger. It was not yet one o’clock. None of the guests were due until four at the earliest. Joe was over on the Eastside helping to sort out an insurance scam. Phyliss was used to working unsupervised. Gertrude wouldn’t care if her daughter was tardy. The old girl was too wrapped up in her movie script.
    â€œOkay,” Judith said, leaning back in the seat. “Where are we going?”
    â€œDowntown,” Renie replied, sailing along at ten miles over the forty-mile-an-hour speed limit. “I want to check the rolls at the county courthouse.”
    It took ten minutes to get to the courthouse, another