Anything Goes

fan-folded ten-dollar bill. He claimed to have never seen it before. She went next to the bakery. The clerk there said they hadn’t had to make change for anything over a ten for months. But the butcher recognized it. “I thought when I cleaned out the cash drawer Saturday night that it had sure had a hard life, that bill. Somebody had folded it into a fan sort of shape and creased it real tight.“
    “Who gave it to you?“
    “Oh, lady, I have no idea. We were busy Saturday. I’m not even sure I took it myself. Might have been the boy who sweeps up and waits on customers when we have a rush of them.“
    “Would you try to think about who was in on Saturday and let me know? It’s really more important than it might seem, but I can’t explain it right now.“
    “Dunno, miss, but I’ll give it a try. Maybe my helper will know. I’ll ask him when he gets in.”
    Lily hoped he’d remember, but thought it unlikely. She walked back up the hill, making a few stops to get her breath. It was a lot harder getting up the hill than down. She’d have to remember that.
    When she finally crossed the road to Grace and Favor, Mr. Prinney was strolling around the front yard aimlessly. He spotted her and rushed to meet her. “How did your conversation with Mr. Kessler work out?”
    Lily repeated it and Prinney nodded contentedly. “I was more worried than I cared to admit. And did you talk to Jack Summer as well?“
    “I did. Mr. Kessler and I told him who owned the paper—I fudged a bit and told Kessler that you were ‘managing’ the estate, not that you were wholly in charge, so that’s what he told Jack.“
    “Very wise. Nobody needs to know the exact details of the unusual situation here unless they’re willing to take the trouble to go hunt down Horatio’s will in the county courthouse. How did Jack take the news?“
    “He was obviously surprised to learn that Mr. Kessler didn’t own the paper, but we slipped by that. Mr. Kessler told him about how he had a new job which he anticipated enjoying a great deal more. Jack looked downright stricken for a moment. I guess fearing the newspaper was going to shut down and he’d be out of work. So I told him immediately that we were offering him the job under certain conditions on a trial basis.“
    “And...?“
    “He didn’t like the conditions. Having to submit the articles to us first.“
    “He turned down the job?“
    “No. Mr. Kessler went into his professorial mode and explained that the owner of the paper was entitled to set the tone of the paper since it was the owner who paid the bills.“
    “Rather silly of him,“ Mr. Prinney said. “Especially as that was exactly why Horatio was contemplating firing him.”
    Lily smiled. “He also jabbed at Jack that he wasn’t supposed to give his own opinions of news stories. Jack took it like a man. I told him that the requirement wouldn’t last forever. Just for a couple months until we were sure he was doing the job as we wanted it done. Then he agreed, but wanted a specific time limit set. I said I’d consult with you.”
    Mr. Prinney let out a sigh. “I’m relieved. We’ll see how he does.”
    Mrs. Prinney came to the front door just then. “Oh, there you two are. Lily, you had a phone call from the butcher, but I told him I didn’t think you were home yet.“
    “The butcher! Good. I’ll call him right back. You’re feeling better?“
    “I’m fine now,“ Mrs. Prinney said. “When the headache stops, I perk right up.”
    Lily ran inside and called back from the only phone in the house in the front hall, telling the telephone girl she needed to speak to the proprietor of the butcher shop.
    “Yes, ma’am. I’ll put you through. You know he’s got a nickel off on rump roasts today.”
    Lily grinned. “No, I didn’t know. Thanks.“ When she was put through to the butcher’s shop, the man she’d spoken to earlier said, “I asked my helper about that bill. He said it was Miss Winslow who used it.“
    “Sissy Winslow? Was he sure?“
    “Yes, he’s got a bit of a crush on her and noticed for sure.”
    Lily thanked him and hung up.
    So Sissy had stolen the bill, almost certainly while Lily had been out of her bedroom helping Mimi get the fragile little chair in the hall set back up. But why would Sissy need to steal money? Was she one of those weird people who couldn’t help themselves from stealing? Lily tried to think back to their school days so long ago. Every now and then one of