Paper Treasure by Anne Stephenson Read Free Book Online Page A

conned. There were no condos. Just pine trees and sand dunes. She never did see her money again.”
    The screen door creaked open and Joey found his way into the cluttered living room.
    “Wow,” he said. “Do you live here? It’s like an old-time museum we went to in Toronto…”
    “Joey!” said Lisa.
    Essie laughed. “My son keeps trying to talk me into an apartment, but I’ve got too much stuff.”
    She was interrupted by the plaintive wail of a cat from somewhere in the house. Lisa shifted uneasily. After what happened to Charlie the night before, she was on edge. Her mother would say it was a sign.
    Essie didn’t take any notice.
    The cat’s cries grew louder and louder until Lisa couldn’t stand it any longer.
    “Mrs. Lovell, is that your cat?”
    “What, dear? Oh yes, that’s Benjamin Bunny.”
    Joey stopped fiddling with the carved elephant he’d found on the curio chest in the corner.
    “He sounds upset,” said Charlie.
    “He’s in the bathroom,” said Essie matter-of-factly.
    Lisa caught Charlie’s eye. He shrugged. Maybe the cat was toilet-trained.
    “I’ll let him out,’ said Joey, and he scooted from the room before anyone could stop him.
    Charlie was asking Essie Lovell if she could describe her visitor when Joey let out a bloodcurdling scream.
    Charlie jumped out of his chair and bounded across the room.
    Joey tore down the hallway towards him, Benjamin Bunny in hot pursuit. Foam was coming from the cat’s mouth and his grey fur was spiked with fear. Charlie lunged for the cat.
    “Don’t touch it, Charlie!” screamed Lisa. “It’s rabid!”
    Charlie stopped in his tracks and stared as the cat began to chase its tail in circles, working up a head of steam like a tiny twister.
    Lisa and Joey edged beside Charlie as they watched Benjamin Bunny wrestle his tail to the ground and lick it ferociously. The more he licked, the more he foamed. When he looked up at his audience, gobs of white frothed from the sides of his mouth and hung on his whiskers.
    “I’m getting out of here,” said Lisa.
    “Me, too,” said Joey.
    “Don’t be silly,” said Essie, coming up behind them. “Old Benjie just got a little toothpaste on his tail, didn’t you, you silly boy.” She bent down and rubbed the grey tabby behind his ear.
    “Toothpaste?” Lisa and Charlie stared at the woman and her cat. “Benjamin has toothpaste on his tail?”
    Essie got to her feet. “Mint fresh. It fell off my toothbrush and landed on his tail.”
    Charlie started to laugh. “You should be in a television commercial.”
    “Benjamin Bunny for mint fresh toothpaste,” sang Joey.
    “Twice a day keeps the cavities away,” giggled Essie.
    Lisa sighed and followed Charlie and Essie back into the parlour. Joey stayed in the hall watching Benjamin work his fur into a high sheen.
    “Can you remember anything else about this guy who came to see you?” asked Charlie.
    Essie thought for a moment. “He was about the same age as my Jamie. Jamie’s my son. He lives in Vancouver.”
    “How old is he?” asked Charlie.
    “Forty-eight this November.”
    “Do you remember how tall your visitor was?” asked Lisa.
    “About five foot, ten inches, maybe,” said Essie, “I’m not really too sure, but he did have dark hair and dark glasses.”
    “Sunglasses?”
    Essie shook her head. “The kind that change color when you go out in the sun.”
    The novelty of Benjamin and the toothpaste had worn off. Joey stood in the doorway. “Are we going soon?” he asked. “I’m hungry.”
    “In a minute,” said Charlie. He asked Essie Lovell to call them on his phone if the guy showed up at her house again.
    “You know,” she said, as she walked with them to the front door. “I can’t help feeling I’ve seen him somewhere before, but I can’t remember where.” Then she shook her head as if to clear the cobwebs from her memory. “But don’t worry,” she said brightly, “one of these days it’ll pop into my