Free Arsenic with Austen by Katherine Bolger Hyde Page A

grabbed a notebook and pen from the counter and scribbled furiously, then closed the notebook and put it down with a contented sigh. “There. Got the plot for my next novel. Zombie Beatrice terrorizes Stony Beach. Course she’ll only attack the bad guys. The development gang. Though that’ll leave her hungry, ’cause they don’t have any brains to eat.”
    The amusement that had been building in Emily since Beanie first spoke finally exploded. She laughed until tears came to her eyes and she had to prop herself with one hand on the counter, the other pressed to her breast.
    Beanie looked at her, bemused. “Okay, I guess it’ll be a comedy. Black comedy.” She hopped off her stool, poured water from a liter bottle into a mug, and handed the mug to Emily.
    Emily waved a hand, gasping. “Don’t mind me. It’s been a crazy couple of days. That picture just set me off. Zombie Beatrice.” She drank the water gratefully. “So you don’t approve of development? Even though it would help your business?”
    â€œNo way. I like Stony Beach just the way it is. I need peace and quiet for my writing. Between the shop and my book sales, I make enough to get by.”
    â€œOh, you’re published?”
    â€œSelf-published. I put out a new e-book every couple months in the off-season. Zombies, werewolves, demons, you name it. People eat that stuff up.”
    Emily’s mind reeled. She’d heard about the paranormal craze—she’d even seen a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies in Powell’s, her favorite bookstore, and nearly ran shrieking in horror—but the idea that people were churning out such books and making at least a partial living off them boggled her. She’d stick with her beloved classics.
    And her classic knitting. She considered the ball of yarn in her hand. A shawl would be perfect for chilly evenings curled up by the library fire. “I left all my knitting supplies in Portland. I’m going to need some needles and whatnot.”
    Beanie pointed her needles toward the south wall. “All over there by the patterns.”
    Emily collected a lovely lace shawl pattern, a couple more balls of yarn, fine circular needles in three sizes in case her gauge was off, and a fabric bag with a cute little sheep appliquéd on it to keep her work in. She’d take a chance on finding basics like scissors and measuring tape at Windy Corner.
    As Beanie rang up her purchases, Emily said, “I’ll see if I can have a talk with Brock. Maybe I can get him to see reason about the rent.” She wasn’t sure how she’d do that, but his behavior last night suggested she might have some influence with him.
    Beanie smiled so wide, her lip stud clinked against her nose ring. “That would be awesome. You are awesome, Mrs. Cavanaugh.”
    â€œCall me Emily. I think we’re going to be friends.”

 
    nine
    Elinor looked at him with greater astonishment than ever. She began to think that he must be in liquor;—the strangeness of such a visit, and of such manners, seemed no otherwise intelligible.

    â€” Sense and Sensibility
    Emily visited a few more shops and made it back to Windy Corner without encountering Luke again. It was five minutes to four when she pulled her Cruiser up in front of the garage door.
    Agnes met her in the front hall. “Madam always had tea punctually at four o’clock,” she said with a hint of reproof.
    â€œThat sounds like a wonderful tradition. Tea in the library, please, Agnes.” She wouldn’t insult the woman by asking for a little something to eat. Tea in this case undoubtedly meant the meal, not just the beverage.
    She was not disappointed. No sooner had she hung up her purse and sweater in the vestibule and carried her knitting supplies into the library than Agnes appeared with a wooden tea trolley loaded with enough sandwiches, cakes, muffins, and scones to