Free Full Scoop by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes Page A

they might come in handy.”
    “I’m on it,” Everest said. He opened the back door and jumped at the sight of a young man with tousled brown hair and a wrinkled coat. A camera hung from his neck. “You half scared me to death!” Everest said. “Who are you?”
    “Mike Henderson from the Gazette .” He had to look straight up to see Everest. “Wow, you’re big.”
    Everest nodded. “I was born big. That’s why I was named after a mountain.”
    “Is your name Matterhorn?”
    Zack joined Everest at the door. “What can I do for you, Mr. Henderson?” he asked.
    The reporter pried his eyes off Everest. “I was hoping to have a word with Dr. Davenport.”
    “Why?”
    Mike looked surprised. “Well, um, I’d like to talk to her about an old friend of hers by the name of Carl Lee Stanton.”
    “Why?” Zack repeated.
    “I’m writing an article about his escape this morning, and I wanted Dr. Davenport’s response.”
    “Did he say his name was Henderson?” Queenie suddenly shouted. “That’s the smart-aleck reporter who wrote the nasty article about my family.” She stepped up to the door, hands on hips.
    Everest frowned. “Do you want me to have a little talk with him before I go to the feed store, Granny Queenie?”
    Mike instantly paled. “I don’t know what she’s talking about.”
    “You called my grandfather a witch doctor,” Queenie said.
    Everest grabbed the lapels of Mike’s jacket and lifted him off the floor. “You don’t talk about Granny Queenie’s family like that.”
    “Wait! There has been a mistake,” Mike said. He looked at Queenie. “Who was your grandfather?”
    “Dr. Cloud.”
    “The Root Doctor? Oh, crap.”
    “If I hadn’t been nursing my sick neighbor I would have marched right up to that newspaper office and given you what for. I let her talk me out of it. But now I’m mad again just seeing your face.”
    Maggie and Mel exchanged sighs.
    “Okay,” Zack said. “Let’s just settle down. Nobody is going to hurt anybody.”
    Everest lowered Mike to the floor. “I’ll be on my way, then,” he said. “Excuse me, Mike, I need to get by.”
    Mike quickly moved out of his way. He straightened his jacket, but it did little good. “Look, lady,” he said to Queenie, “I barely remember writing that article, but I would never have called your grandfather a witch doctor. I may have quoted someone. Most people don’t believe in that stuff anyway.”
    Queenie started for him, but Zack blocked her. “Dr. Davenport can’t see you right now,” he said. “She’s in surgery.”
    Maggie crossed the room. Enough was enough. “Excuse me,” she said, squeezing between Zack and Queenie. “I’m Dr. Davenport. You needed to speak with me, Mr. Henderson?”
    Mike looked relieved. “I just wanted to get your reaction to the news about Carl Lee Stanton’s escape.”
    “My reaction ?” she repeated.
    “You know, on account of the two of you were kind of tight at one time.”
    “You need to leave before I do something you’ll regret,” Queenie said.
    Maggie shot the woman one of her “don’t even think about it” looks. “Does Jamie know you’re here?” she asked Mike.
    “No.”
    “I didn’t think so. My reaction to Carl Lee Stanton’s escape is no different from anyone else’s,” she said, an edge to her voice. “I want him caught before he hurts or kills someone else.”
    “Are you afraid, Dr. Davenport?”
    “What kind of question is that?” Queenie blurted.
    Maggie looked at Zack, and their gazes met and held. “Absolutely not.”
    “Wow!” Mike pulled a small notepad from his pocket. “You know he’s dangerous, right? And everybody says he has a score to settle with you. I’ll bet you regret ever laying eyes on the guy, huh?”
    Maggie opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out. How could she regret having known Carl Lee Stanton when the result had been a daughter she adored? She could feel everyone’s eyes on her. “I’m finished