some of the food and put it in the freezer. There’s no
sense in letting it go to waste.”
Judith nodded. “They’re not the type to take doggie
bags with them. I’ll start putting away some of the
things from the bar in the washstand cabinet.”
As she took the first half-dozen unopened bottles
that belonged to the B&B into the dining room, Morris Mayne was at her heels.
“I must be on my way,” he said. “There’s not much
more I can do for poor Bruno. Besides, as strange as it
sounds for people in the picture business, my wife and
I keep regular hours. Thank you for your hospitality.”
He ducked his head and scurried off toward the front
door.
Judith was putting dirty dishes on a tray when a subdued Winifred Best came up to her. “I think Bruno
wants to sit for a while with his thoughts,” she said.
“I’m going to retire for the night.” Slipping her hands
up the sleeves of her nun’s habit, she seemed to strain
for the next words: “Thank you for all you’ve done.
I’m sorry this couldn’t have been a happier event. Perhaps next time—if there is a next time—Bruno will
want to stay in a hotel.”
Judith watched Winifred leave the room, then noted
that only Bruno and Eugenia Fleming remained. The
agent was nibbling on truffles and standing at the
piano, her free hand playing the fate motif from
once told Judith. An exaggeration, perhaps, but the
minor chords certainly sounded like doom and gloom.
Out in the kitchen, Joe had just come up from the
basement. “We’ve run out of room in the freezer,” he
announced. “How much of that stuff in there is worth
keeping? You’ve got dates on some of those packages
from six, eight years ago.”
“Really?” Judith looked sheepish. “Then we’d better toss anything that old. Come on, I’ll get some
garbage bags and go down with you.”
Joe looked up at the schoolhouse clock. “It’s going
on one in the morning. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”
Judith shook her head and put a sweater on over her
Roman costume. “I want as much of this done tonight
as possible. Otherwise I’ll have a big mess in the
kitchen come morning. That makes getting breakfast
awkward. It won’t take that long. Let’s go.”
But like so many household tasks, it took longer
than Judith had predicted. Almost half an hour later the
Flynns trudged back upstairs. Joe headed directly for
the garbage cans outside while Judith returned to the
kitchen.
Or almost. She rounded the corner into the hall and
saw Bruno bending over the sink. Her initial reaction
