Orchid Read Online Free PDF Page B

Elvira to Rafe. “Is this some sort of game?”
    Rafe shrugged but said nothing. There was almost no expression on his austere, bluntly carved features.
    “George and I see it as more of a challenge,” Elvira explained lightly. “Rather like a sailing regatta or a golf-tennis tournament. The goal, of course, is to make it appear that the theft was carried out by someone else.”
    “A challenge,” Orchid repeated. A light went on somewhere in her brain. “I think I get it.”
    Elvira gave her a droll smile. “George and I are both widowed. Perhaps it would help if I explained that the two of us are more than merely good friends. Our little adventures serve to keep a certain zest in our relationship.”
    Elvira and the unknown George were lovers. Orchid grinned. “Why, Mrs. Turlock, that is incredibly romantic.”
    “Five hells.” Rafe sounded thoroughly disgusted. “It’s not romantic. It’s a complete waste of everyone’s time.”
    Orchid glowered at him. “Why are you complaining? You get paid to track down the thief, even though you obviously know who the culprit is before you even start. Sounds like easy money to me.”
    Rafe’s jaw tightened. “It’s not always quite that easy. George and Elvira go out of their way each time to fool me, too.”
    “Indeed we do,” Elvira said. “Part of the game.” She peered at Rafe. “Tell me, were you thrown off by any of the clues that I left behind this time?”
    “The use of a miniature twin-blade saw to take apart the locked case gave me some pause.”
    “I hoped it would,” Elvira sounded smugly satisfied. “It’s Edison’s trademark, not my own.”
    “Okay, I get the picture,” Orchid said. “You and Mr. Yeager apparently have a longstanding competition going here, Mrs. Turlock. But what about the rest of these old books? You said that they were all stolen. Did you take them from Mr. Yeager’s private collection, too?”
    “Heavens, no, dear.” Elvira smiled. “The rest of these were permanent acquisitions.”
    “Meaning she stole them from other private collections,” Rafe muttered.
    “I see. I think.” Orchid eyed Elvira cautiously. “I take it that you are not unduly concerned about getting arrested, Mrs. Turlock?”
    Elvira beamed. “Not bloody likely.”
    “May I ask why not?” Orchid glanced at Rafe. “I understand that Mr. Stonebraker contracted only to find Mr. Yeager’s book, not to turn you over to the cops. He made that clear before we came here tonight. But what about the next private investigator or police detective who comes looking for a missing book?”
    Elvira looked mildly astonished. “But, my dear, the only one I have to worry about is Stonebraker. No other private investigator or detective has ever discovered my little hobby of collecting old books. I’m a fine, upstanding member of the community. Who would suspect me? Except for Rafe, of course?”
    She had a point. Orchid, herself, could hardly believe that the wealthy, socially prominent Elvira Turlock, who sat on the boards of most of the major philanthropic societies in New Seattle and whose brilliant parties were legendary, was a book thief.
    “But sooner or later—” Orchid persisted.
    “As she said, not likely.” Rafe gave Elvira a knowing look. “Mrs. Turlock is careful to limit her acquisitions. She only steals from a highly select group of private collectors.”
    Orchid looked from Rafe to Elvira. “I don’t understand.”
    “I acquire my books from collectors who are not in a position to go to the police.” Elvira waved a graceful, heavily ringed hand at the volumes in the glass cases. “Every one of the volumes that you see here had been previously stolen from someone else before I took it.”
    Orchid raised her brows. “I get it. You steal from other thieves who can’t go to the cops because they would have to admit they had stolen the books first.”
    “Precisely.” Elvira nodded approvingly. “It limits my risk. However, I have