Case of Imagination Read Online Free PDF Page B

offensive attempt at compromise, and one I shall accept. I warn you, though, I intend to continue to plead my case.” He looked around, saw me, and said, “Young lady, are you a poetry lover?”
    “I like it well enough,” I said, “if it makes sense.”
    “Are you familiar with the work of Emily Nesp?”
    “No, I’m sorry. I’ve never heard of her.”
    He glared at Hayden. “You see? If you’d had her work out where people could see it, this charming young visitor to our fair town would’ve been able to ascertain for herself the beauty and wonder of Miss Nesp’s verse.”
    I could tell Hayden was trying not to laugh. “I read mysteries mostly,” I said.
    “Ah, then maybe you can help Hayden solve the Mystery of the Writer’s Block. Wouldn’t that be nice, Hayden? Georgia, I must fly. I’ll meet you across the street, Hayden. Don’t be late.”
    He sailed out. Georgia chuckled. “I hope Gregory didn’t scare you off. He’s all wind.”
    “He was very entertaining,” I said. “I’m Madeline Maclin.”
    “Georgia Taylor. I think I’ve seen you in the store before.”
    “Yes, I try to stop in whenever I’m in town.”
    “I’m Hayden Amry,” the young man said.
    “I actually do solve mysteries.” He had a wonderful smile. “So if you have one….”
    “I don’t think you can help with this one. I haven’t had an idea in three months. I’m beginning to think I’ll never write anything again.”
    “Now, now,” Georgia said. “None of that. He tends to get depressed,” she said to me. “All that artistic temperament. It’s unhealthy.”
    Hayden smiled at her obvious concern. “It wouldn’t be so bad except Shana’s on the best-seller list every week. It compounds the failure.”
    “Shana?” I said.
    “Shana Fairbourne. That’s my wife, and that’s her display over there.”
    I turned to look at the large display of paperback books featuring bright red covers with stylized gold flames around embossed hearts. Shiny gold letters proclaimed in bold letters: Flames , the Provocative New Novel by Shana Fairbourne, Best-Selling Author of Suppressed Desires . I picked up one of the books. Shana Fairbourne’s picture was on the back. She was a stunning redhead.
    A gorgeous wife. Okay. Talk about suppressed desires.
    “‘Fairbourne’ was Shana’s agent’s idea,” Hayden said. “He didn’t care for Fields, Shana’s maiden name. Too plain, he said. And Amry was too odd. Thank goodness Shana had an exotic first name, or they’d have to invent one.”
    “I’m sorry to say I’ve never read any of her books, either.”
    “They’re what the industry calls ‘bodice rippers,’ big sprawling sex stories set against some historical background.”
    The kind of book I never read. “And what do you write?”
    “When I write, I write short poems that take me months to finish.”
    Not something I’d read, either. “Well, I’m sure you’ll get inspiration again.”
    “Thanks,” he said. “Are you in town for the pageant?”
    “My friend and I came to see about the Eberlin house. His uncle left it to him.”
    I was surprised to see Hayden Amry turn pale. “My goodness. He’s not planning to live there, is he?”
    “Is there something wrong with it?”
    “Now, now,” Georgia said to Hayden. “Don’t start putting ideas into her head. Ms. Maclin, Hayden believes in ghosts, but I don’t. You have a big old house outside of town so naturally everyone invents stories. Val Eberlin was a very nice man. He was in here often. I was very sorry to hear he’d passed away.”
    “Can you tell me anything else about him? Jerry only met him when he was a child, and there aren’t many clues at the house.”
    “Well, I know he liked cornflakes. Tessie Newall down at Food City says she never saw somebody buy so many boxes. He was always real polite, paid with cash. Let’s see. Occasionally he attended First Baptist Church. He always bought Girl Scout cookies from Averall Mercer’s