The Harrison: A Beautiful Place to Die (Madeline Donovan Mysteries Book 2) by Madison Kent Page B

cup of tea. She could read the paper as a guise to observing the people. She was about to be seated when she felt a tug on her arm.
    A heavyset elderly woman, with gray hair pinned back in a bun, and silver spectacles sliding down her nose was staring at her.
    "I've seen you here several times, and I heard you asking about my boys again. What is it you want of them, if you don't mind me asking?"
    "Your boys? You must be mistaken. I'm not sure what you mean," replied Madeline.
    "You keep pestering my friend, Mr. Thomas, and I have to tell you I don't like it. What do you want with them, the Harrison boys?"
    "Do you mean the owners of this hotel?"
    "None other."
    "Are they your sons?"
    She laughed then, a belly laugh that made her plump stomach jiggle beneath her elegant beaded gown.
    "They may as well be, for they treat me like their own mother, and I love them as my own. I lost my own boy many years ago to the polio. I knew them and their mother when they were young, and they have let me stay here for such little money, you'd think I was their mother."
    "I see. I meant no offense. I am sure they are great men. Certainly, they are successful men. But you see, there are missing young ladies—perhaps in some danger—and many of them have been seen at this hotel. I feel the Harrison's have an obligation to look into it. At the very least to have their staff look into it, to see if someone who's staying here may have some connection to these disappearances."
    "You can ask me. It would be just the same as asking them. I know everything about the goings on here. I don't stay in my room much. I like to mingle with the people. If there's anybody who would know anything, it would be me. Ask away."
    Madeline took the pictures she had of Maria and the other girls and showed them to the woman.
    "These are the girls I am looking for. By the way, may I ask your name?"
    "It's Mary Brooks, but they call me Lady Mary around here. That's respect—they all know I have my connections with the Harrisons," she said with an air about her and a tilt of her head upward.
    "Now, let me get a good look at these girls."
    She held the pictures in her hand, tracing her fingers over the lines of their faces. She kept her head down for several minutes, turning and shuffling each picture back and forth. Madeline thought it odd the way Mary was concentrating on each one, but given her personality, Madeline then dismissed it.
    When Mary finally looked up, she didn't look her in the eye and said, "No, quite sure. I can tell you none of these girls have been in this hotel. I'd stake my life on it. Quite sure, yes, quite sure."
    "You seemed a little startled when you first glanced at the pictures. Are you certain you have seen none of them?"
    "Startled—heavens no! That's just an old lady's nerves coming out. I tell you I would remember fine-looking girls like these. Now, you see, you have no reason to talk to the boys."
    "I appreciate your time, Mrs. Brooks...I mean, Lady Mary. May I get you a cup of tea or a pastry?"
    "No, it's my time to sit out on the patio. The sun is almost setting. It's the best time of the day, and everyone stops to talk to me."
    "Well, thank you again. I'm sure I will see you again when I come to visit the Harrison."
    Now Madeline was captivated. There was no doubt that Lady Mary was lying, but was it as simple as she felt the need to protect "her boys" or was it more than that. Madeline felt certain Lady Mary had seen either one or all of the girls. She had watched her body language. Although she could not see her face clearly, the way she moved abruptly when she looked at Maria's picture gave her pause to think Lady Mary had seen her. She felt clues to what happened to these girls were at the Harrison.
     
    Walking home, she felt a new purpose and resolve in getting to the bottom of this mystery. What she believed was only supposition had now turned into a credible belief. She knew the Harrison brothers were guilty of misconduct, but