Mysteries of Holt House - A Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page B

three-story house?

 
    Chapter Six
    I called a couple of employment agencies
before moving into Holt House and they were sending applicants out for
interviews for the two positions I needed to fill. The handyman would start work
within a week, but the cook wouldn’t be needed for about a month. I felt I
could have the rooms filled within that timeframe, and until then I could do
the cooking and cleaning myself.
    I also had the telephones connected a
couple of days before moving in, so early in the morning I called to place an
ad which would run in a few different newspapers in the surrounding cities,
looking for boarders or vacationers who wanted a great place to stay. Later on
I’d need to look into broader advertising to attract more vacationers.
    My first interviewee showed up bright and
early, and turned out to be completely wrong. Mrs. Lomley didn’t do more
things than she did do. The interview didn’t last long.
    The second interview for a
housekeeper/cook wasn’t much better.
    “I must reside in town,” Ms. Waters
informed me. “I can’t stand all the noise your boarders would make at night.
Also, I don’t wash windows, nor do I want to have anything to do with your
boarders. I don’t wish to be in a social situation. It’s so taxing. I just want
to do my job and go home. And I won’t be arriving until at least ten o’clock in
the morning,” she added.
    “I see. However, I need someone here no
later than six-thirty in the morning because of serving breakfast to the
boarders. There will also be tasks which need to be performed, such as windows.
It can’t be avoided. Of course, I’ll get professionals to do the upstairs
windows. In addition to that, there would be contact with the boarders. There’s
no way it can be avoided.”
    Her back stiffened. “Impossible. I have to
think of myself and get the proper rest. The doctor said no stress or strain.
I’m too delicate.”
    “Well, I’m afraid you’ll have to get your
rest on someone else’s time,” I said. “This is job requiring hard work and
dedication. I’m afraid your delicate sensibilities will have to find work
elsewhere.”
    “Well, I never – ”
    “You’re absolutely right. You’ll never
work here.”
    Ms. Waters slammed the door on her way out
– not too delicately.
    The third interview was for a
handyman/gardener, and Mr. Janis made it quite clear that he was looking for
more than gardening and fixing things – he wanted to be my personal handyman. That was another very short interview.
    I was pacing around the living room,
mumbling to myself, when there was a knock on the door. I struggled to make
myself smile before opening it.
    “Good afternoon. I’m Mrs. Daley, but you
can call me Lucy.” She smiled at me like an old friend.
    “A pleasure to meet you,” I said. There
was something about Mrs. Daley that grabbed me right off the bat.
    I invited her in and we sat on the couch,
facing each other.
    “The agency sent me over. They tell me you
need a housekeeper who can cook.”
    “I sure do. This may sound a little
abrupt, but you have no idea how this day has gone so far. What don’t you
do?”
    “I can take care of any reasonable chore,”
she replied, laughing. “There’s very little I can’t do. I have good references,
too.” She reached into her purse and produced some letters. I read them and
smiled. They were personal letters of recommendation from friends and
acquaintances, and they sufficed for my purposes because she was being honest.
    “Are you willing to live out here? It
would be room and board plus salary, with Mondays and Tuesdays off.”
    “Sure. I’m a widow and I’m looking forward
to living in the country.  I’m from Los Angeles. I haven’t worked as a
housekeeper before, but it can’t be much different from personal housekeeping,
just on a larger scale, and I’m a great cook. I’ve cooked for large groups in
the past.”
    We talked about her qualifications a bit
more, and discussed