Van and Mabel hurried toward the Logjam Public Library, where Tim Tutter had scheduled his press conference.
\n\t\u201cI don\u2019t know what that goof and his bee think they\u2019re going to pull off up north,\u201d said Mabel, \u201cbut I\u2019d like to hear what he has to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cSo,\u201d said Van, \u201cdo you think Patience and the DIS guy will get together?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMabel shook her head. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Maybe if he sees what a nice person she is he\u2019ll drop this whole stupid investigation. Otherwise, I think there\u2019d be whatever that\u2019s called–conflict of interest.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d agreed Van, \u201cPatience would stop liking him real fast if he\u2019s trying to bust her friends for something they didn\u2019t do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOh man, I can hear him,\u201d said Mabel, as they turned the corner onto River Street. \u201cIt\u2019s that voice!\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cSo, LADIES and GENTLEMEN! In conclusion, I must COMMEND you for the THOROUGH archives kept by YOUR public library. It has SIMPLIFIED my research greatly, and I have SET UP a meeting with the VERY CITIZEN of your FAIR TOWN who can help ME turn OUR dreams into a REALITY!\u201d Tutter concluded his speech to modest applause and slid, along with his perky blonde assistant, into the waiting limousine.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI guess we missed it,\u201d said Mabel.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhat I\u2019m wondering,\u201d said Van, \u201cis who is this person, I mean this CITIZEN, who he\u2019s talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cDon\u2019t know,\u201d replied Mabel. \u201cTell you what, it\u2019s almost dinner time. I\u2019ll walk you home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThey crossed the street and headed for the peach stucco co-op, passing by the outdoor terrace, where several tables were occupied by early diners.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhoa,\u201d hissed Van, \u201cthe trenchcoat brigade! They\u2019re on the terrace. What are they doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI think they\u2019re having lemonade,\u201d said Mabel, squinting toward the outdoor dining area. \u201cWith someone. With Arbogast! Come on, we\u2019ve gotta figure out what they\u2019re talking about!\u201d Mabel grabbed Van by the shirt and quickly, but quietly, hustled past the side of the building and into the main entrance of Mona Lisa\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe kitchen door,\u201d suggested Van. He and Mabel scurried through the kitchen toward the door leading to the terrace.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cExcuse me,\u201d said Mrs. Peale, barely glancing up from several saucepans into which she was dicing onions at blazing speed, \u201cbut we wouldn\u2019t be spying on customers, would we?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMom,\u201d whispered Van, \u201cyou\u2019ve got to trust me. This is important.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cAh, well,\u201d contributed Franz, from his position at the stir-fry griddle, \u201cWe were once children too.\u201d He paused and raised one eyebrow. \u201cAt least I guess we were. I really don\u2019t recall.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMabel put her finger to her lips and pressed her ear to the doorframe. She could make out the skinny form of Verdon Arbogast through the door screen, and his clipped voice was unmistakable.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI saw you officers taking a break and thought I might add my review, in case you\u2019re going to be in town a few days. If you haven\u2019t had dinner here at Mona Lisa\u2019s, I recommend it highly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhat is he up to?\u201d whispered Mabel. \u201cHe wouldn\u2019t be friendly for no reason.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cUnfortunately,\u201d replied the bald DIS agent, \u201cattending to business doesn\u2019t often leave time for socializing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhat a shame,\u201d continued Arbogast. \u201cWell, if you find the time, I hear they cook up a spectacular soup. It\u2019s made with an unusual green, grown especially for the chefs here by those creative folk over at the local botanical center. They call it claracrockett something-or-other.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe DIS agents suddenly looked very alert. The cat-eye agent began scribbling notes on a pad. Agent Manderley looked like his stomach hurt.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cA very interesting vegetable,\u201d continued Arbogast, leaning back in his wrought-iron chair. \u201cI understand plants of its genus are illegal in most of Europe. Thought to have rather dangerous hallucinogenic properties. But I\u2019m sure you people would know what is and isn\u2019t legal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe cat-eye and bald agents began to whisper to each other. Manderley looked even sicker.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOh, I know!\u201d said Arbogast, suddenly very chipper. \u201cI bet you\u2019d like to know where the Halfslips got this plant in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe three agents became very quiet and stared at Arbogast, who seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOh, it\u2019s flown over on a regular basis,\u201d said Arbogast. \u201cThere\u2019s a local magazine publisher. I believe his name\u2019s Crockett, just like the plant. Flies a private plane. He and his wife apparently bring a variety of botanical samples back from their trips.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMabel stared at Van to see if he got what she got out of the conversation.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThat dirty creep,\u201d whispered Van.\t<\/p>\n
\n\tMabel nodded, \u201cWhatever\u2019s going on with these trenchcoat guys,\u201d she said, \u201cArbogast wants to make sure all our parents get in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tA chair scraped the floor loudly. Mabel peaked to see that the bald agent had stood up.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019ve got to talk to headquarters,\u201d the standing agent said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cRight,\u201d said Manderley, also getting out of his chair. \u201cIf you and Boots would call HQ,\u201d he continued, \u201cthere\u2019s a bit of investigating I\u2019d like to do around here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tCat-eyed Agent Boots, and the bald agent nodded and strode away from the terrace. Arbogast nodded at Manderley. \u201cWell,\u201d Arbogast said, \u201chave a nice evening.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMabel and Van returned to the restaurant lobby in silence. Van sat down on the edge of Hippocrates\u2019 fountain. Mabel sat beside him.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMy dad says there\u2019s nothing to worry about,\u201d she said. \u201cThe Halfslips haven\u2019t done anything wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cAnd if they haven\u2019t,\u201d Van said, \u201cthen neither have your folks, or mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe restaurant\u2019s large front door creaked open. Reynolds Manderley walked hesitantly into the restaurant, casting furtive glances around the room as if he expected to get into trouble. This seemed a far different Manderley than the confidant professional Mabel had first met in Bumper\u2019s. Though his mustache quivered slightly, he made an attempt to regain his purposeful demeanor as Noah Peale walked over to the host\u2019s stand. Even tall, handsome Agent Manderley was dwarfed by the mountainous Mr. Peale.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cGood evening, sir,\u201d said the ever-friendly Mr. Peale. \u201cAre you here for dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cActually,\u201d began Manderley. He cleared his throat to project a more confident voice. \u201cActually, I was hoping you could tell me if Miss Patience is in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMabel elbowed Van in the ribs to make sure he was listening.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOh, I see,\u201d said Mr. Peale. His tone suddenly became rather fatherly. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you have a seat, and maybe these two,\u201d he said, turning to the children by the fountain, \u201cwould run to see if Patience is upstairs in the studio?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cSure,\u201d said Mabel. She hurried down the hall toward the steps with Van right behind her. \u201cSo,\u201d said Mabel with a giggle, \u201cnow we know what he wants to investigate around here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tManderley jumped hurriedly to his feet as Patience reached the lobby. <\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cAgent Manderley,\u201d she said in greeting.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMiss Patience,\u201d he began, taking a step toward her, \u201cI was just wondering if…well, if you haven\u2019t eaten yet…If you\u2019d have dinner…with me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMr. Peale cast a knowing expression at Van and Mabel.<\/p>\n
\n\tPatience blushed slightly, then looked at Mr. Peale as if for reassurance. \u201cI think…\u201d she began.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201c…it\u2019s a splendid idea,\u201d broke in Mr. Peale, \u201ceveryone needs to eat. And, it makes the dining room look better if more tables are filled.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tPatience blushed more, but looked delighted. Manderley\u2019s face broke into a besotted grin.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cWow, I\u2019ve gotta go,\u201d said Mabel, glancing at her watch, \u201cbut I\u2019m dying to know how this little dinner date goes. Be sure you pay attention.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tVan rolled his eyes. \u201cI really do not need to watch this guy go all gaga over Patience,\u201d he said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run down after dinner and see for yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMabel chortled at him. \u201cVan Rijn, you\u2019re jealous.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tVan merely huffed.<\/p>\n
\tOn top of the Fairweather\u2019s chimney sat a geranium-shaped chimney pot. Through a hole Boris Fairweather had knocked in the dining room wall, Mabel could see all the Fairweathers seated at dinner, on chairs Mrs. Fairweather had fashioned out of the remaining chimney pots.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cBoris says they have a few left over,\u201d said Mr. Crockett, holding the press office door open for Mabel. \u201cI\u2019m sure we could use some chimney pot furniture around here, too. Anyway, glad you could make it for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cSorry, Dad,\u201d said Mabel, \u201cthere\u2019s some really weird stuff going on around town.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cTell me about it,\u201d replied her father, \u201ca couple of those DIS people just left. They were grilling your mother and me about where we get the plant samples we bring back from trips. I think those guys must have too much time on their hands. Anyway,\u201d he said, slapping a stack of papers onto the table, \u201cI\u2019ve got potatoes in the oven, which will incinerate if I don\u2019t get back to the house. Your mom\u2019s on the internet doing some Norway research. If you can pry her away from the computer we\u2019ll be eating in ten minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOkay, Dad,\u201d said Mabel. <\/p>\n
\n\t Paulo shuffled down the stairs with a cumbersome box in one arm, and his ever-present coffee cup balanced precariously in the other hand. When he puts it down,<\/em> she thought, feeling for the vial hanging under her shirt, I\u2019ll do it.<\/em><\/p>\n \n\t\u201cEh, Mabelina!\u201d called Paulo, staggering over to a desk and dumping his load. \u201cHow\u2019s yer homework coming?\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cIt\u2019s not bad, Paulo,\u201d she replied, as he trotted, always in perpetual motion, into the next room. The coffee cup was unattended on the desk. Mabel took a swift scan of the room, and certain she would be unnoticed, went to the cup. It was empty.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThat stinkin\u2019 coffee percolator,\u201d Paulo said, hustling back into the room. \u201cThe stinkin\u2019 thing is broken again. And I just spilled my last cup on the file cabinet. And I won\u2019t have time to be fixin\u2019 it \u2018til tomorrow.\u201d He let out a defeated sigh. \u201cWell, I tell you what, Mabelina,\u201d he continued in a brighter tone, \u201cIf I hurry up an git home for dinner, maybe Mrs. Remini will have brewed some up, and maybe if I\u2019m not TOO late, she won\u2019t dump it on my head.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cOkay, Paulo, you\u2019d better hurry up then,\u201d said Mabel. Well,<\/em> she thought, maybe tomorrow.<\/em><\/p>\n \tMabel excused herself after dinner, on the grounds that she had a little project to finish up at the co-op. <\/p>\n \n\tVan was sitting on the curb out front, drumming his fingers on the concrete.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cSo how\u2019s it going?\u201d asked Mabel.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cDo me a favor,\u201d replied Van, \u201cif I ever stare at a girl that way, spray me with a fire hose.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tMabel hid a smile. \u201cSure thing, Van…Hey,\u201d she continued, giving the back of his shirt a tug, \u201clet\u2019s go have a peek.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tWhen they entered the gallery Van gave Mabel a \u201cwait-a-minute\u201d gesture and disappeared through the dining room into the kitchen. Within seconds he emerged carrying two brownies on plates. He and Mabel seated themselves at an tiny table partially obscured by foliage and a statue of a dancing fox. Mabel could see Agent Manderley and Patience engaged in a gently animated conversation, and wondered if they would notice they were being observed. It took only seconds for her to conclude that Manderley\u2019s gaze barely strayed from Patience and vice-versa.<\/p>\n \n\tVan faked a yawn then dug into his brownie. Mabel put her finger to her lips.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019ve never thought about colors that way,\u201d said Manderley with embarrassing sincerity. Patience gave him a glowing smile, then glanced at the dashiki-robed flute instructor who was currently serving as a waiter. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI thought you might enjoy some after-dinner coffee,\u201d said Ramon, the waiter, setting down two cups, and a small pitcher of cream.<\/p>\n \n\tManderley nodded his thanks, and began to drink his black. Patience emptied half the cream into her cup, and added a generous spoonful of sugar.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI can\u2019t tell you how much safer the world feels to me,\u201d Patience said, stirring her coffee, \u201cknowing there are people like you in law enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tManderley beamed. Van rolled his eyes. Mabel squelched a giggle.<\/p>\n \n\tPatience set her spoon down, leaving her hand to linger on the table near Manderley\u2019s. First tentatively, then with confidence, he embraced her hand with his own. Two pairs of eyes locked and softened into liquid pools of infatuation.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019m done,\u201d said Van, standing up abruptly. \u201cI gotta go now.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cOkay, okay,\u201d agreed Mabel turning to follow him. \n\t\u201cExcuse me sir!\u201d said Boots in a jarring voice.<\/p>\n \n\tManderley jumped, as if suddenly awakened, and turned around in his chair.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cSir,\u201d Boots continued, \u201cwe\u2019ve spoken to HQ and it\u2019s urgent that we meet with you right away. Can you come to the hotel?\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tManderley managed a drugged nod, then turned back to Patience.<\/p>\n \n\tShe smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s alright. I\u2019m sure it\u2019s very important. Maybe you can come around again. I\u2019m usually upstairs painting.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tBoots shot Manderley a severe look, then turned and marched out of the restaurant with the other agents close at her clicking heels.<\/p>\n \n\tManderley gazed at Patience with a strange sort of aching look, then straightened himself up, turned, and walked swiftly out of the building.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Van and Mabel hurried toward the Logjam Public Library, where Tim Tutter had scheduled his press conference. \u201cI don\u2019t know what that goof and his bee think they\u2019re going to pull off up north,\u201d said Mabel, \u201cbut I\u2019d like to hear what he has to say.\u201d \u201cSo,\u201d said Van, \u201cdo you think Patience and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=286"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":287,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286\/revisions\/287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThey stopped. Four trenchcoated DIS agents, including the bald man and Boots, strode purposefully into the dining room.<\/p>\n