Vanquished: Felix Green Mysteries

Chapter 1

You’re doing no such thing! Barbara Nix snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously at him. You won’t marry that little tart as long as I’m alive to say something about it.

She was shouting so loudly that passersby on the street stopped to stare, and her voice had reached a shrill pitch capable of shattering glass. The slanting sign of the antiques store, situated just above Barbara’s head, flickered ominously.

But Mom, I love her! Saul Nix held his hands wide apart in a gesture of exasperation, waving them like windmills as he tried convince his mother of his sincerity.

You don’t love her, Barbara snapped back. She’s gotten her claws into you. That girl is a rotten tart, and she’s only after you for the store.

Mom, she doesn’t care about the antiques store!

Barbara gave a snort like an angry bull, ejecting two clouds of vapor from her nostrils that quickly evaporated into the cold morning air.

Doesn’t care about the antiques store? Doesn’t care about the antiques store? That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said, Saul, and you’ve said some very silly things when it comes to that girl! Everyone cares about the antiques store! Look at all these people!

With a gesture as wide and sweeping as Saul’s, she indicated the small crowd that had stopped to listen to the exchange between mother and son. Most of the crowd, not having expected to be involved in the dispute, suddenly lost interest. Many winced and skulked off.

Everyone cares about the antiques store! Barbara bellowed. I know that girl of yours wants it!

Don’t call her ‘that girl,’ mother, Saul shot back. Her name is Anne.

Her name is whatever I say it is. Now you listen to me, Saul, you’re not going to marry that - that golddigger. You’re never going to see her again. Understand?

Saul straightened up. Though he was not a tall man, he held his head high, chin up, and took a deep breath. The morning breeze stung his cheeks.

No. Not this time mother. I’ve had it with you and your suspicions and your temper and your - your antiques. You think every girl I take an interest in is a golddigger, but it’s time someone told you that you don’t have any gold to dig. You’ve got a grubby little store in the corner of town, not anything worth stealing or marrying into, and I’m tired of working here and I’m tired of you.

He turned around and began to walk away, but out of the corner of his eye he could see his mother turning the color of a beet. The flush had spread through her cheeks to her forehead and back towards her temples, and it seemed to permeate upwards, turning her graying black hair a violent red at the roots. She seemed just about ready to breathe fire.

Fine, she screamed. Don’t bother coming back tonight, Saul! You can stay out until you realize what an idiot you’ve been - and then you’ll marry who I tell you to!

We’re getting married, mother!

Over my dead body you will!

She marched back into the antique store and slammed the door shut, sending violent wobbles through a panel of glass in front of a counter-full of old hatstands.

Slowly, those remaining onlookers who had been staring, transfixed, at the scene seemed to regain their senses and go about their business. Most filtered not into the antique store as Barbara had predicted, but into the corner store and laundromat on opposite ends of the block. Two young women emerged from the crowd and approached Saul, one short as Saul with brown hair, the other tall and thin, with black hair and heavy-lidded eyes. Saul drew the brown-haired girl towards him and pecked her on the cheek.

Hello Anne, he said with a small smile.

So, how did that go? she asked, her own smile a bit more muted and sympathetic than Saul’s.

I think it went about as well as could be expected, he said, his face grim.

So I’m still ‘that girl’ to her?

I’d like to say she’ll come around, but I’m not sure that she will... He drifted off and stared back into the antiques store, where his mother was loitering behind the counter, violently writing something down with short, sharp stabs of the pencil in her hand.

Sally, the other woman, made a snorting noise. Now you’ve done it. You’ve angered the Dragon Lady. I wonder what kind of day I’ll have now. Working for your mother is hard enough as is, Saul.

Anne gave her a sharp look.

Sally, don’t be so mean. Saul had to tell her.

Why is that exactly? You two could have gotten married and secret, then Saul could have snuck out in the dead of night and run away with you to some city across the country where Barbara couldn’t find you. Then she’d have been none the wiser.

Anne frowned. She’s his mother, Sally.

We don’t call her the Dragon Lady for nothing, Anne. It looks like you could just about boil eggs on her forehead now and I’ve got to go in there and deal with her while she rants and raves about how she doesn’t have a son.

She won’t really say that, will she? Anne looked from Saul to Sally. I mean, I understand that she’s upset-

Anne, my mother is always upset, Saul explained, his small smile returning. That’s not a condition for her. It’s a general state of being. Now she’s graduated from upset to actively furious, which probably isn’t very good news for anyone who goes into the store today, particularly if they’re expecting to buy antiques.

Trust me, Anne, Sally said with a sigh. Barbara isn’t going to accept your engagement to Saul, and let me give you a very strong, sincere, word of advice. Do not go in there and try to talk it over with her. It won’t end well. Frankly, right now I’m hoping that she’s forgotten I know you. Look, I’ve got to go. If I get any later then I am now, I risk getting my hair burned off.

Good luck, Saul said.

Sally grimaced at him by way of reply, then opened the door into the antiques store. The sound of the little bell ringing was quickly overwhelmed by a cacophony of indistinct shouting from Barbara, which was mercifully muffled as the door swung shut.

Will she be alright? Anne asked after a timid glance through the window. Barbara, though a foot shorter than Sally, was poking her finger in the young woman’s chest and shouting so loudly that Sally had to squint and turn her head away to resist the oncoming spittle and venom.

Sally? Sally’s pretty tough. She’s been working for Mom for years, after all.

No, I meant your mother. She doesn’t look well.

Barbara had now turned the color of prune juice, but was rapidly shifting to a color that, if he’d had to name it, Saul would have called heart attack red.

She’ll be fine, Saul said reassuringly. Come on. Let’s go somewhere else and try to take our minds off my mother. Um... I don’t know if you heard her, Anne, but I think I’ll have to stay at your place tonight. I don’t think I’ll be able to go back home... Maybe if I’m lucky I can sneak in the back after it gets dark and steal some of my clothes. I’d hate to think I have to sleep how I am.

He looked down at his t-shirt and blue jeans.

I can always lend you a nightgown, Anne suggested sweetly. You’re about my size.

Saul gave her a playful push on the shoulder. They began to walk down the street.

Did I hear your mom shouting? said a voice from behind them. Saul turned to see a very large, heavily muscled bald man in a white apron walking towards them. He was wiping his hands in a white cloth, partially obscuring the large black tattoo that ran from his shoulder to fingertip on one side.

You did, Mr. Flake, Saul confirmed.

Yes, I thought it sounded like she’d started up again. I just decided I’d better check, because if it’s it was anyone else making that racket, there must be some kind of major emergency going on. Is this the little lady who got her all worked up?

Yes, Mr. Flake, this is my fiancé, Anne. Anne, this is Mr. Flake. He runs the laundromat.

Very pleased to meet you, Anne, the huge Mr. Flake said, then bowed slightly to her. I just hope you realize what sort of family you’re planning to marry into. You know, we call his mother the Dragon Lady.

I’ve heard, Anne said with a giggle.

Flake raised a massive eyebrow. It’s no laughing matter. When she gets going like she just did, she can just about breathe fire. Saul, if I didn’t know better I’d ask you to tell her to keep it down - I think when she yells like that it scares away business.

People still need to get their laundry done, Saul advised him.

Yeah, I think when people hear something like that they decide that on balance, they’d much rather have dirty clothes than be eaten alive by a dragon, you know what I’m saying? He shook his head. I heard her yelling about the antiques store. Is that really why she thinks this lovely girl wants to marry you?

Yeah, she’s obsessed with the antiques.

Shrugging his massive shoulders, Flake turned to stare at the adjacent antiques store.

The funny thing is that I don’t think she’d keep that place open without the rent we pay her. She doesn’t get many customers. Scares ‘em off, I’ll bet.

He shrugged again.

Anyway, good luck, Saul. I’ll see you around. You know - I hope.

Saul gave Flake a half-smile, half-wince.

See you, Mr. Flake.

The giant turned around and walked back to his laundromat, the pavement thundering beneath his every step.

Does she really think I want her store? Anne asked as they continued on their way down the street, moving away from Flake’s laundromat.

Yes, I think she thinks you’re playing some kind of very long game, where you marry me, then wait until she dies - which she won’t ever do, because she’s going to live forever - then you’ll have control over the antiques store, and with it, the world!

Anne giggled.

What did your friend mean when he said she wouldn’t keep the store open without the rents? Does she own his laundromat?

Oh yes, she owns the whole block, from the laundromat all the way down to the corner store. When dad died, she used the insurance money to buy the whole stretch, and she rents it out to everyone else. She doesn’t need it for antiques, I guess.

"Did your mother build all of these four buildings? I guess it’s