When Elaine came in from the gym, she saw Myrtle staring blankly at The Price is Right while she and Jack munched on animal crackers. Myrtle sighed. “You know, it’s way too easy to turn into a couch potato here. At home I’d find stuff to do. And, by the way, it looks like I’ll be back in there by this evening—the part they ordered came in and they installed it. I’m just waiting for the house to cool back down again.”
Elaine’s face was carefully and pleasantly neutral at the news that her mother-in-law would be packing up and heading home.
Myrtle said, “I know you just came in, but do you want to go back out again? Jack and I are bored silly. I thought maybe we could go shopping at the department store or something.”
“Sure. I just need to shower and change real quick. Did you need to shop for something in particular?”
“I could use a new dress. At my age, people really start flaking out. Especially in this town, with all the murders. I need to update my funeral wardrobe.”
“Okay, if that’s what you really need. But I wish you’d get your mind out of the casket.”
Brogan’s department store carried everything from girdles to gadgets and games. Myrtle changed, too, because whenever you went to Brogan’s, you were bound to run into someone you knew. It was housed in an ancient brick two-story building. The management treasured anachronisms such as the regal elevator-door opener.
Elaine and Myrtle had just started shopping when they spotted a familiar face. It was a familiar face, but the hair above the face wasn’t familiar at all. Myrtle yanked Elaine’s sleeve and hissed, “Is that Agnes Walker?”
Elaine stood on tiptoe, peering over several racks of clothes. “With the bright blue hair? No, it couldn’t be.”
It was. A glum Agnes turned when they called her. She was shopping for headscarves and broke in before Myrtle could begin her interrogation. “I know, it’s dreadful. I sometimes get a faint blue tint for my gray, but I never asked to look like a blueberry. That Dina! She offered to fix it at the shop when I was so horrified but I told her to keep her hands off it I’m going to have to schedule an appointment with Kat.”
Myrtle said, “I didn’t think Dina knew how to color hair.”
Agnes snorted, “Well, obviously she doesn’t. She claims she took a course at the tech-school a few months ago.”
Agnes patted her head gingerly as Elaine wandered off to a sales rack with Jack. “I’ve been feeling a little sorry for Dina since her breakdown in the salon and I foolishly offered her the chance to practice on my head.”
“Altruism always causes trouble.”
“You would say that,” said Agnes. “As soon as Dina walked out of the room to get the color ready, Kat warned me. She said that she’d offered herself as a guinea pig to Dina one night and Dina had chickened out. To her, that meant she’s not ready to color hair.” Agnes sighed. “I should have known disaster was imminent. How could anyone worry about messing up Kat’s hair? It’s pink, for crying out loud!”
“I don’t really see a future for Dina in hair,” mulled Myrtle. “She’s gotten very involved with that women’s shelter lately. I guess with Tammy out of the way, Dina’s getting a sense of who she is now.”
Agnes said, “Myrtle, I’m surprised at that new-age-speak, ‘who she is.’ She’s Dina Peters with an unfortunate penchant for screwing up, that’s who she is.”
“You should get a chance to counsel her on who she is pretty soon. She’s been going door to door collecting for that shelter,” said Myrtle.
“Counseling is exactly what she needs. And she needs to be relieved of her chemicals.”
Myrtle couldn’t smother a snicker at Agnes’ droll expression. Elaine returned with a pretty scarf. “This one looks like you, Miss Agnes.”
“It’s perfect, Elaine, and you’re a sweet girl. Your Red lucked out, Myrtle. I wish Connor could settle down with a nice girl.”
Here it comes. The agonizing over Connor’s budding involvement with Kat. But Agnes’ mind was occupied as she fumbled in her voluminous pocketbook for an equally large billfold. “Better run and buy this to cover my blue locks. Take care.” She left without looking back.
Elaine stared after her. “Well. That was abrupt, wasn’t it?” Turning back to Myrtle, she asked, “What do you think about these dresses? The green one is more on sale than the blue one, but I could dress the green one up or dress it down...”
Myrtle had the enviable talent of appearing to listen attentively while her thoughts drifted. She nodded encouragingly at Elaine and even managed to choose her favorite dress when Myrtle gathered she was being asked her opinion. But her mind worked full-speed on Agnes. Jack dropped Dirty Doggy and Myrtle absently gave it back to him. Was Agnes’ warning the other day prompted by her concern over Connor’s involvement? Could Connor have killed Tammy in an impulsive moment? If Agnes knew something, she’d cover up for him at all cost.
What about Agnes, herself? The thought made Myrtle shift uncomfortably. But it seemed like a possibility. Maybe she couldn’t stand the thought of his dating or marrying Tammy. Agnes was old but strong, and could easily have pushed Tammy down the stairs. Could she have plunged the scissors in Tammy’s back, though? Probably. If she thought she was protecting Connor.
“What do you think of this? I found it while I was looking for the scarf for Agnes.” Elaine held up a prissy-looking one piece gingham romper with a Peter Pan collar.
“I think he’ll look like Raggedy Andy, Elaine.” She was rewarded by seeing her grandson beam at her with relief as his mother put the romper back on the rack. Another Good Deed.