Page 72 of Death at the Deep Dive

Ellery sank lower in his chair. He glanced at James, and to his dismay, saw that he was on his feet and moving through the tables toward the hall entrance beneath a green EXIT sign.

He swore. Now what? They’d barely got started. James hadn’t told him anything he didn’t already suspect. He had no more proof than he’d had before he walked in the door. Should he go after him?

Oh hell. The mustachioed ringleader of the…of the…anyway, a person in a ridiculously oversized plaid coat, fedora and…clogs? was on the approach.

Clop-clop. Clop-clop.

“It’s all right, he’s only gone to the men’s restroom,” Nora hissed, reaching Ellery’s table.

“Nora, are you out of your mind?” Ellery hissed back. “What are you doing? What are youwearing?”

“We had to turn to the Scallywag’s costume department for our disguises.”

“Why would you have to come in disguise? And such terrible disguises! You’redrawingattention to yourselves.”

Nora waved that idea off. “We had to take the risk. Kingston has some urgent information for you!”

Kingston, who’d made only the most feeble attempt to disguise his appearance, hovered behind Nora. He was shaking his head. “Nora, I’ve already told you that Elleryknows.”

“But he doesn’t knoweverything.”

“But he does. I told him everything. Which was little enough.”

Ellery heard thesqueakof door hinges, saw a shadow slide along the section of the hall, coming toward the bar area. “Go. Away.” He told Nora. “Now! Go!”

“Be careful!” Nora hissed as Kingston drew her away. “Remember Carroll Cole!”

“Who?Never mind!” He waved her off barely in time.

Clop-clop. Clop-clop.

Loud whispers floated from their table.

What did he say?

Does he want us to join him?

Is he all right?

Is he running a tab?

What should we order?

Ellery closed his eyes, shook his head. A few seconds later, James returned and took his seat across from Ellery. His face was pink and damp, his eyelashes sticky. He’d either been crying or splashing his face with water. Ellery guessed water.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine. It’s very warm in here.” James said apologetically, “I’m sorry I interrupted you. You were explaining why Vera thought my mother—who worked herself to the bone for that woman, by the way—could possibly have anything to do with killing Vernon.”

“For one thing, a number of people heard them arguing that night. It seems like your mother might have seen that marriage certificate and maybe got the wrong idea?”

“That’s it?” James rolled his eyes. “That’s ridiculous. My mother was a happily married woman. She saw through Vernon from the first. There must be some other reason Vera targeted her.”

“Targetedis too strong a word,” Ellery said. “She was just one of the names on Vera’s list.”

“May I see the list?”

Ellery smiled. “I don’t carry it around with me.”

---