Houses of Stone by KATHY (booksvooks .TXT) 📕

"Just let me shower and change into my other pair of pants, and I'll be good as new. You can go first," she added generously.

"I will have a drink first. And see what that blinking red light on the phone portends."

When Karen came out of the bathroom toweling her wet hair Peggy was still on the telephone. With a final "Fine, see you there," she hung up and started to undress. Karen noticed her glass was empty and that she looked unusually grave.

"That was Tanya," Peggy said. "I asked her to join us for dinner. Hope you don't mind."

"No, of course not. Is something wrong?"

"She said she had a few tidbits of news for us." Peggy headed for the bathroom, shedding garments right and left. "Gossip," she added. "The stuff of which great novels are made."

"The Hungry Hog?" Karen exclaimed. "Why here?"

"Any objection?" Peggy pulled into a parking space. "It was Tanya's idea."

"It's popular with the haut monde. We might see some familiar faces."

"If you're referring to Mrs. F., I hope we do. There are a few things I'd like to say to her."

However, the only familiar face was Tanya's. They joined her at the table. Peggy insisted they all have a drink, and Tanya did not demur.

"It was nice of you to ask me," she said politely. "We could have talked over the phone."

"We owe you one," Peggy said. "Anyhow, I like food and drink and talk, especially in combination. Kitchen things."

Tanya's eyes lit up. "You know 'A Jury of Her Peers'? It's a great story."

"Karen introduced me to it. She's been broadening my mind and trying to improve my manners—though that's an uphill fight."

"And vice versa," Karen murmured.

"I hope we didn't get your mother in trouble with Cameron," Peggy went on. "She told you what happened, I suppose."

"Oh, that. Don't worry about it. He apologized to her later."

"He didn't apologize to us," Karen said.

An unexpected dimple made a brief appearance in Tanya's cheek. "In a way he did," she said cryptically.

The advent of the waiter and the business of ordering postponed further discussion; after he had gone Tanya said seriously, "It's Cameron I wanted to talk to you about. I guess you don't know what happened about the fire? Well, you knew it was his company that insured Mrs. Fowler's place? You didn't? You ladies sure don't get around."

"Tell," Peggy urged, leaning forward.

"She filed a claim the day after the fire," Tanya said. "And Cameron refused to pay it. The company's sent for an expert from Richmond to look for evidences of arson."

"Have they any reason to think it was?" Karen asked.

"I guess they must. There's some talk around town that it could have been Bobby set the fire, for the insurance. He's always after the old lady for money. I can't believe he'd take a chance on somebody being hurt, though."

"He might not have known anyone was there," Karen said, struck by a sudden revelation. "My car wasn't in the garage and I went to bed early."

"That's an interesting idea," Tanya said thoughtfully. "Bobby wouldn't deliberately set out to endanger you—he's too much of a cautious coward to risk a charge that serious—but he's so stupid he'd never think of checking to make absolutely sure the place was empty.

"Anyhow, he heard the talk and he blamed Cameron for it—and for turning down the claim. But I heard from somebody else, who was there, that it was what he said about you that started the fight."

"Fight?" Karen's jaw dropped unbecomingly.

"Wait a minute, you're leaving out all the interesting parts," Peggy exclaimed. "When did it happen? Where did it happen? Who said what to whom and who hit who first?"

Egged on by Peggy, Tanya let herself go. The encounter had taken place at high noon in front of Cameron's office on Main Street—as public a spot as anyone could hope to find. Accompanied by two of his "scruffy friends," Bobby had been lying in wait; he had prudently waited until after the prospective client had got in his car and driven away before accosting Cameron. He had begun by demanding that Cameron "stop effing around and hand over the insurance money," to quote Tanya. Cameron had tried at first to back off, but it had been he who struck the first blow.

"Bobby started calling you names and implying it was you who put Cameron up to denying the claim, out of spite against Mrs. Fowler,"

Tanya reported. "Then he said he'd found you two out there at the house—uh—making—um—"

"Never mind, we get the idea," Peggy said, lips twitching. Though what she found amusing Karen could not imagine. "Was that when Cameron hit him?"

"Uh-huh. Knocked him flat, too. Cameron started walking away, and then all three of them jumped him. A couple of people who'd been standing around watching intervened at that point; when somebody mentioned the police, Bobby and his pals took off."

"Was Cameron hurt?" Peggy asked.

"He left under his own steam, anyhow," Tanya replied. "Mama said he showed up at the house about two, and sent her home. He told her he'd fallen off a ladder, but he was okay. Nobody's seen him since."

"He must have known she'd learn the truth eventually," Peggy mused.

"Yes, well ... He keeps things to himself. I wouldn't have told you," Tanya said apologetically, "except I thought you ought to know what that miserable kid and his aunt are saying about you. Mrs. Fowler's never forgiven you for that speech and she'll do you an injury if she can."

"She can't," Peggy said briskly. "And let us know if she tries anything on you." Her voice deepened into a growling drawl. "Ah won't leave this here town till I've cleaned out that nest of vermin and made it safe for honest folks."

This was too much for Karen, who had been fuming with speechless embarrassment. "God damn it, Peggy, I don't see anything funny about this!"

"It is funny. It's also very romantic," Peggy said with an unrepentant grin. "What's wrong with you? I used to dream