Imogene in New Orleans by Hunter Murphy Read Free Book Online

head-butted him, but still, I’m with Lena Ward on this one. I trust that cop about as much as she does.” Jackson swatted a fly that landed on a praline wrapper. He slicked back his salt-and-pepper hair, the curls of which fell in his face. New Orleans felt like a sauna in mid-August, but it smelled like a botanical garden outside Neil and Allen’s place. Jackson admired the tiny white petals of the jasmine just beyond Allen. He waited for his friend to respond. “Are you all right, man?”
    Allen sat in the chair, rubbing his beard from his chin to his neck and back again. He looked up at the porch fan above their heads. “Hmm…I…” He started to say something and then stopped. He pulled his beard. “Ah, well.” Another moment passed. “Something I didn’t say when Neil was talking to Lena. You know how Neil can get ‘fired up’ at the sound of anything suspicious or unjust?”
    “Yeah, I do. He can go from tranquility to full-blown fit in three seconds.” Jackson smiled, thinking about Neil giving Rogers the head butt.
    Allen continued. “You saw him on a tear with Lena, right…? Well...I didn’t wanna make it worse.” Allen shifted around in the garden chair beside Billy and pulled his boot to his knee, half crossing his legs. “You know, I help Glenway with his finances. I manage my own for the framing shop here, of course.” He pointed to the sign out front that said CUSTOM FRAME SHOP.
    “So, I have a lot of experience keeping books, and Glenway knew it and he’s probably one of our oldest friends. He wanted someone to help him with his money. You know, Glenway was always a generous soul, but he could spend way too much. Neil suggested I help him, and this last year, I’ve been doing just that. I gave him a budget and he pretty much sticks to it…or he did stick to it.” Allen’s beard trembled as he looked out into the park across the street. “Of course, his family had money, so he’s never lacked for it. Not ever. He just didn’t want to spend his inheritance or the income from his art, and I didn’t want him to either. So, I helped him.”
    Billy looked at his friend as he spoke. Billy was usually quiet and could always be counted on to pick up subtle clues and biographical information that most people would forget. “Allen, you’re also the executor of Glenway’s will, aren’t you?” Billy asked it so softly that if Allen had been an arm’s length away, he wouldn’t have heard it.
    “Yes, Billy, in fact I am. Not by my own wish, though. Glenway said he trusted me and Neil more than the rest of his friends down here. But how did you know that?” Allen leaned over, holding on to the sole of his work boot.
    “Neil told me last visit. He and I were talking about how Jackson and I needed a lawyer to help us create a living will.” Billy raised his sunglasses and checked the monitor on his machine. He took a moist towelette from his satchel and wiped his round face. “It’s no big deal.”
    “It certainly is a big deal. I was hoping to never have to execute Glenway’s will. Since it’s Friday evening, I won’t be able to call the lawyer till Monday, I suppose.” He checked his watch. “Yeah, it’s past quitting time.” Allen sat there thinking. Billy and Jackson turned to watch him. “Yes, well, as I was saying…about Glenway and the money. Three months ago, sometime in May, Glenway insisted on giving a hundred thousand dollars to a ‘friend.’ It took him weeks to tell me it was for Lena. After the September eleventh attacks, the down economy affected everyone, and Lena as much as anyone. Even three years later, it’s still affecting her. She told Glenway she had decided to close up the shop, but Glenway wouldn’t let her. He immediately gave her the money to pay her back bills and her assistant. He saved her business, really.” Allen scratched his hairy chin.
    “Neil didn’t know about this?” Jackson rubbed Goose’s belly, which caused his dog to stretch