There was an Old Woman by Howard Engel Read Free Book Online Page B

ten seconds, she had moved past him and was heading down the long corridor to the back of the building where the television offices were located. Robin and I watched her until Orv’s body cut off the view as he followed her. Robin shook his head. “Sometimes, Benny, I think that man knows no fear.”
    â€œHow do you mean?”
    â€œThe old lady could walk in at any time. Or Antonia for that matter.” He made a noise with his tongue on the back of his front teeth to express displeasure.
    â€œHas he been giving Bracken a hard time? Is he harassing her?”
    â€œWell, neither of them is talking. But she is reading the news and saying the names wrong night after night. What do you think?”
    â€œThat’s arguing ass-backwards, Robin. That’s only a possible cause of her getting the job. There could be others.” Robin’s look at me was really aimed at an invisible observer of the scene. It was designed to make me feel unworldly even for Grantham, Ontario.
    â€œAre you suggesting, Benny, that Cath got the job because Larry Hendrick went to the CBC at short notice? Come on!”
    â€œRobin, you sure are giving me a lot of names. Are any of them going to be of any use? That’s the question I’m asking myself.”
    â€œAnd what are you answering yourself? You think your cousin has the guts to run and play in this minefield?”
    â€œWhat cousin? Oh, that cousin! Sure, she knows what it’s all about.”
    At that moment, Catherine Bracken came back into the reception area and picked up the Beacon from the receptionist’s desk. It was four-thirty. If she was working until ten-thirty under the bright lights, I thought she was earning her money. Robin grinned at me as Catherine Bracken quickly ran through the paper, accompanying her noisy page-turning with comments that were not at all flattering to her colleagues at the Beacon. I began buttoning up my coat. The last thing I wanted was a well-intentioned introduction from Robin. A word from him and I’d have to come up with the fictional cousin I’d been talking about.
    On the way towards the entrance, Robin nodded back over his shoulder at Catherine Bracken. “Not bad in the flesh, is she? Orv sure can pick ’em.” I wanted to turn around and confirm what Robin was saying, but I didn’t want to make myself conspicuous. I had seen enough of her as she came in and went to work to realize that this was an attractive, well-put-together young woman. I could see that there were aspects to this assignment that I was not going to find hard to swallow at all.

SEVEN
    Explaining my sudden interest in the queen of the CXAN news room to Anna Abraham was more difficult than I thought it was going to be. I tried to pass it off as just another job, but Anna was quick to see that there was a tiny Orv Wishart concealed in a corner of my heart. I told her over dinner at Lije Swift’s place in St. David’s. I wanted to show Lije that I sometimes ate before two in the morning and in the company of civilized people as well as policemen of my acquaintance. Anna’s reaction was to show no curiosity about the client or the job. She was usually ready to join in as my favourite silent partner, but not that night. Was it something about me that had changed or was it something that Catherine Bracken did to other women. I don’t know. All I know is that the duck seemed overdone and greasy, the wine sour and the dessert oversweet.
    â€œWhat’s going on up the hill at Secord?” I asked, trying to locate neutral territory Anna taught a few sections of history at the university.
    â€œExams, papers to grade. The usual grind,” she said. It was an answer, but it lacked the Anna Abraham touch. We sat in silence for a few minutes longer.
    â€œAre you looking forward to the holidays?” She removed a piece of peach stone and placed it on the side of her plate. By way of answer to my