Bad Reputation, A by Jane Tesh Page A

her.”
    â€œMac, I never use my real name! I have never been in this town!”
    â€œMaybe you forgot. Maybe you’ve been run out of so many towns, they all look alike.”
    He slumped back in his seat. “Come on,” I coaxed. “We’ll have some Baxter’s barbecue and talk about this. She didn’t look like she could afford a lawyer.”
    â€œShe can if she gets a million dollars.”
    â€œNot if we don’t have a million dollars.”
    ***
    Usually a trip to our favorite barbecue restaurant can calm any storm, but neither the juicy sandwich nor the crunchy fries helped Jerry settle down.
    â€œI was so sure this was some scheme of Honor’s.” He squeezed the ketchup bottle with unnecessary force. “I still think she’s got a hand in this somewhere. Maybe she hired a little old lady to play Mrs. Forest.”
    That seemed way too elaborate for me. “Just relax. She has a dear friend in Celosia who’s just passed away.”
    â€œHow’s that going to help?”
    â€œAll you have to do is light a candle and call her up.”
    He gave me a very ornery look and then his scowl faded into a reluctant grin. “Okay. I deserved that.”
    â€œWe’ll take care of this, Jerry.” My phone beeped and I checked it. “A message from Pamela,” I said. “Uh, oh. Looks like more trouble with the Art Guild. Her text message says, ‘Disaster! New curator chosen! Call me!!’ Double exclamation marks.”
    â€œThen you’d better call her.”
    I punched in Pamela’s number and barely said hello before she started in.
    â€œMadeline, you would not believe what Wendall’s done! He’s hired some woman from the Silver Gallery in Parkland, a complete stranger, and the two of them have final say on whose work is good enough to be displayed. He’s invited the Art Guild to meet her tomorrow, and I know this meeting is going to be a total disaster!”
    â€œHave the members of the Guild told Wendall about their concerns?”
    â€œHe said he’d answer all our questions at the meeting, but he’s not going to listen to us! He’s got his mind already set on what he wants.”
    â€œI know this is going to be difficult,” I said, “but why don’t you wait and see what really happens? You might like this new curator. She might be open to your suggestions.”
    Pamela would not be comforted. “I don’t know how that’s possible. She’s not from here. She doesn’t know us.”
    When we moved to Celosia, Jerry and I had run into this same small-town mindset. If I hadn’t solved several murders, we’d still be outsiders. “Then she’ll be able to have unbiased opinions about your work, right?”
    There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, as if Pamela hadn’t considered this. “I don’t know. I just have bad feelings about all of this. Can you come to the meeting? You’re not an official member of the Guild, but you’re an artist and we need your support.”
    There was no way to get out of this. “All right.”
    â€œTomorrow at two at the gallery,” Pamela said and hung up.
    â€œPamela’s just like you,” I told Jerry. “All in a wad about something you can’t control.”
    â€œI take it from your conversation that Wendall has brought in some snooty curator from New York City.”
    â€œClose. She’s from the Silver Gallery in Parkland. That’s snooty enough to send the Guild into a tailspin. I’ll find out tomorrow at two.”
    â€œI’ve got your next murder case for you,” he said. “I predict someone’s going to take Wendall out.”
    â€œI hope not. He’s just trying to do something for the town. Want another order of fries?”
    â€œNo, thanks.”
    Things were serious when Jerry didn’t want seconds.