said, “I’m surprised a reporter isn’t still at work on such an auspicious day.”
All day she’d longed to telephone her father to talk about D-Day. Beginning with that December when they listened to the news bulletin that Pearl Harbor had been bombed, they’d been on a journey. It wasn’t over yet, but maybe what had happened on those French beaches brought the end nearer.
“Right you are, Eddie. The whole newsroom is buzzing with D-Day, but my beat’s local, what’s happening right here in Washington.” He had a sweet southern drawl.
“You mean crime?” Eddie said.
“Edwina, don’t you start. I forbid that kind of talk in my parlor.” Aunt Viola flapped a large paper fan Jones Funeral Home printed over a blazing sunset on one side, sunrise on the other, not a subtle metaphor. “Ya’ll sit and stop treating my parlor like Union Station.”
“Beg pardon, Ma’am.” Thad sank into his cushioned armchair, while Rachel crouched in a nearby chair like a runner waiting for the start of her race.
Palms folded on his lap, Thad said, “So how long has the G-man lived out back, Ma’am?”
Bert spoke up from the sofa. “Mama, Jess doesn’t want us discussing them.”
Aunt Viola shot Bert a look. Seldom did her son correct her. “I want Thad to know I’m doing my part for the war.”
But Eddie’s alarm bells went off. After the big deal her aunt made about not introducing Jessup Lindsay to her and Rachel, Eddie had found and read the article about him in The Washington Herald, Thad’s employer.
“You wrote the article about Special Agent Lindsay, didn’t you?” Eddie was guessing.
“You’re pretty sharp, Eddie.” Thad showed nice white teeth. “Rachel tells me you’re a writer, too.”
Thad was pretty sharp, too. “Not really.” Eddie wasn’t sure about him. Had his meeting Rachel really been by chance? Eddie imagined Rachel telling her to stop distrusting everyone. If people were more trustworthy, maybe she could.
“Last winter Eddie won a poetry competition with a beautiful poem about Saltville. It was published in The Atlantic Monthly magazine.” Rachel traded a sideways glance with Thad, a look full of sparks.
“Sure would like to read it, Eddie,” Thad said.
“Of course.” Eddie couldn’t deny he was cute. And if he had an ulterior motive for meeting Rachel, maybe he didn’t any longer. Thad Graham appeared smitten.
“I never heard of that magazine,” Aunt Viola said. “This here’s my favorite.” She reached into her magazine stand and pulled out Photoplay, a dark-haired young actress on the cover.
Bert craned forward and snapped his fingers. “That’s who you look like, Rachel. Elizabeth Taylor.”
They all agreed, except for Rachel, her face pink with delight. She thanked Bert. Eddie knew Rachel did her best to look like the actress.
“That reminds me, Thad.” Rachel stood, purse wedged under her arm. “Hadn’t we better be going if we want to make the next showing of Suspicion? It’s almost six-thirty.”
Thad sighed as if reluctant to leave.
“Thank you so much for the candied pecans, Thad.” Aunt Viola patted the box beside her radio. “You’re so sweet to bring ‘em to me.”
Thad took Aunt Viola’s hand as if she was royalty. “I do believe this is the coolest, most pleasant parlor in all Washington City, Ma’am. I hope I may visit you again.”
He knew who had the loose lips in this house.
“Please do, Thad. You’re always welcome. Too many young-uns don’t have your nice manners.”
Rachel got Thad out the front door. Eddie and Bert followed. From the porch, they watched Thad walk Rachel toward a maroon-colored car. His hand edged up her back.
“Is he trustworthy?” Eddie asked her cousin.
“I reckon. He rents the Berman’s basement, but with them gone for the summer, he has the run of their whole house and the plant. Sometimes he borrows a truck if he’s low on gasoline, and he’s always showing up with laundry he wants done right away.”
“So the laundry plant is near the Berman’s house?”
“Yup.” Bert leaned against the porch post, looking dog-tired. He delivered laundry for Berman’s then worked weekends for Jones Funeral Home on 16th Street. His dream was to get his funeral director license. Their grandfather had been an embalmer, so funerals were in their blood.
Eddie noticed that Bert’s ankles looked swollen. She guessed this was from his hemophilia, not that he complained. She put her hand on his shoulder. “I hope you don’t have to work tonight.”
“’Afraid, so, Cuz. Got to grab a sandwich before I head out.” He turned his gaze to the street. “Uh-oh, here comes trouble.”
Pearl approached their gate, a large shopping bag in each hand.
Pearl had promised to move out as soon as she got a job. The problem was she couldn’t get hired, even in Washington where employers were desperate for workers.
“See you later, Eddie.” Bert went inside. He had avoided Pearl ever since she went to his room late one night and offered to rub his back. Shocked at how forward she was, he sent her away and told Eddie about it.
Eddie went down the sidewalk and helped Pearl with her bags. What had she bought now? Pearl so enjoyed having money for the first time in her life.
“Rachel introduced me to her date, Thad.” Pearl said. “He’s a real dreamboat.”
“Uh-huh.” Eddie held the door. “How’s your job-hunting?”
Tonight Eddie was going to give Pearl an ultimatum. Pearl either moved out or Eddie would tell Bert about the stolen money. He had a right to know since the money threatened everyone living here.
“I got real good news, Eddie.” Pearl winked.
Eddie didn’t get her hopes up. Pearl kept telling them she was close to getting hired at different government agencies, but when Eddie went through Pearl’s dresser drawer, she found copies of failed tests for typing, record-keeping, even filing. How could Pearl not know the alphabet?
Okay, so Eddie was a snoop, but she had to be with Pearl, who seldom told the truth.
Aunt Viola turned down the radio. “Hey, Pearl girl. Come in and show me what you bought.”
As Pearl had transformed from ragged hillbilly to city girl with plenty of money, Aunt Viola had warmed to her. Eddie enjoyed observing people do an about-face, as her aunt had done about Pearl. Yet why didn’t Aunt Viola or Rachel wonder where Pearl’s money came from?
Pearl went in the parlor and took out a cotton dress from a Hecht Company bag. “Rachel showed me colors partial to redheads like me. This here’s peach.”
Yes,
