Read The Case of the Lady in Apartment 308 for Free Online Page A

“We’ll be there.”
    Rudolf grinned widely. His eyes sparkled with his curiosity. But Ed wasn’t about to give Rudolf or Amy any satisfying expansion on who Marcia Phillips was. They’d soon see for themselves…and be disappointed.
    As Ed walked back to his own place, he thought how curious Rudolf would become when he saw how indifferent Marcia was to her companion. Then Rudolf would wonder why Ed had asked Marcia along.
    The next morning, there Marcia was at the door. She got into the car as he stopped. He said, “Good morning.”
    She gave him an acknowledging glance but said nothing.
    She didn’t smile but just settled herself in the car. She had her own fishing pole. It was a take-apart, clever one. It was not a bamboo pole.
    How had she known it was his car?
    So Ed puzzled on that in the brief silence it took to reach the pier and park on beyond.
    The eager Smiths were on the pier. Marcia smiled at them and even shook hands. She had good teeth. It was the first time he’d seen them. Bad teeth was one of the reasons he’d considered for her never smiling at him.
    He watched her shaking hands with both of the Smiths. She’d never touched Ed.
    He didn’t feel that she was “with” him. He felt that she had just used him for transportation. To be someone’s donkey transport was diminishing.
    He became a courteous, but silent observer who was helpful. He carried the two food baskets Amy indicated. Marcia carried her own pole.
    The boat had an awning over it, and the poles were thin and sturdy.
    Ed gave a helping hand to both of the women to step into the boat.
    Rudolf didn’t do that sort of thing. He went to the engine and started it. He used it on low power.
    They didn’t go speeding down the river. They putted along. At that time of summer, it was already light. It was a soft light and it was so quiet. The city was not yet rumbling along.
    Peoria is a city of over a hundred thousand. It straddles the Illinois River, which is at least two blocks wide, and goes down Illinois to finally empty into theMississippi just above St. Louis. St. Louis is on the west side of the Mississippi.
    In the quieter side waters of the Illinois River, Rudolf putted their boat along north of the city.
    There were fields and trees. And the air was sweet. The sun wasn’t yet up. The day was still hushed. Then barges came along. Grain barges. People were already working.
    Of course, that was so in the city. Maintenance people, postal people, restaurant people were already beginning their days.
    And the group of four was fishing. They anchored on the edge of quicker water and tossed in the bait on their fishing lines. Three of them had the traditional bamboo poles. Marcia had the clever rod.
    With some curiosity, Ed watched her assemble the sections and bait her own hook. She was an independent woman who was not interested in allowing a man to help her or cosset her.
    She wasn’t what he wanted.
    Amy chatted quite a bit with Marcia, but the latter’s replies were scant. Amy didn’t seem to mind.
    Amy caught the first fish. Rudolf got the next two. And Marcia got one. Ed never did catch one.
    He wasn’t competitive.
    The others all…well, it was their hosts who comforted Ed by saying they’d share their catfish with him.
    Marcia didn’t offer any portion of her fish.
    She readily helped Amy put out their breakfast. She did that as if it was second nature. She’d never offered to help Ed with a meal or clean up after one. She’d acted like a guest.
    Of course, she’d been invited to be a guest.
    Well, she was there with the Smiths, too. She was invited as a guest, but she hadn’t hesitated to offer help and she’d helped.
    Amy had a real breakfast of ham and scrambled eggs with fat homemade rolls oozing with icing. Totally fattening. Absolutely great!
    On occasion, Ed would turn his head minimally and give the woman—who was his guest—a judging look.
    Ed realized she was a difficult woman. To continue to include her in