The Ellsworth Case (A Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery Novella Book 5) Read Free Page A

value,” Joan
added.   “There are only a handful of
them.”
    She reached into her handbag and pulled out
the small bag she was keeping the coins in.   Janet watched closely as Joan dug out
the coins.   Janet knew there were
six coins in the bag, but when Joan handed the coins to William, Janet could
see that she’d only handed him three.
    William turned the coins over in his hand,
giving them a cursory glance.   “I
don’t really know much about coins,” he told the women.   “They aren’t really my specialty.   I know a good dealer in Derby,
however.   I would be happy to send
them on to him and get them valued for you.”
    “We can take them up to Derby ourselves,”
Joan replied.   “Perhaps you could
give us the name and address of the man’s shop?”
    “Of course,” he said.   He crossed to the small desk in the back
of the store that functioned as his office, the coins still in his hand.   Karen followed him closely.
    “May I have a look?” she asked quietly.   “My husband was something of a
collector.”
    “Certainly,” Joan said.
    William passed the coins to Karen, who
studied each one in turn.   After a
moment she walked over to Joan and handed the three coins back to her.
    “If I were you, I’d get them valued rather
quickly,” she said in an excited voice.   “I think at least one of them is very valuable and the other two are
worth a decent amount as well.   If
you plan to keep them, you ought to have them insured.”
    Joan took the coins and tucked them back in
their bag, returning it to her handbag.   “Really?” she asked.   “That’s
good news.”
    “Yes, well, I’m no expert, but I did learn a
few things from my dear Lester before his sudden passing.   He loved collecting coins, common ones
as well as rare and valuable ones.   He left me quite a collection, but I’ve sold much of it since I lost him.”
    William walked back across the room as Karen
was speaking.   Now he handed Joan a
slip of paper.   “He’ll take good
care of you and give you a fair price if you want to sell,” he told the
sisters.
    “Thank you so much,” Janet said as Joan
added the slip of paper to her handbag.   “We should get home, I suppose.”
    “After I take a quick look at that armoire,”
Joan told her.   She crossed the
room, leaving Janet to make small talk with William and Karen.   While Joan opened and closed drawers,
Janet talked about the weather and the latest news from London.   Joan was back by her side a few minutes
later.
    The sisters were silent on their walk back
to the car.   As Janet started the
engine, she couldn’t wait to ask a question any longer.   “Do you really want a new armoire?”
    Joan shrugged.   “It’s really lovely,” she replied.   “If the coins are actually worth what
everyone thinks they might be, maybe I’ll treat myself.”
    “Or maybe I’ll buy it for you for
Christmas,” Janet countered.
    “Only if you find something equally
valuable,” Joan retorted.
    Janet laughed.   “That sounds fair enough,” she
agreed.   “But what did you think of
Karen Holmes?”
    “She was, well, interesting, I guess,” Joan
said.   “But in a small town, anyone
new is always interesting.”
    “I suppose that’s true,” Janet agreed with a
smile.   “She seems awfully young for
William, though.”
    “I don’t know,” Joan replied.   “She may well be older than she
appears.   Women often are.”
    “She dressed young,” Janet countered.
    “You just didn’t like her dress,” Joan
replied.
    Janet had to laugh.   “You’re right about that,” she
agreed.   “I don’t really like floral
fabrics for clothing.   They always remind
me of the curtains our granny had in her bedrooms.   You remember?”
    Joan frowned for a moment and then began to
laugh softly.   “I haven’t thought
about granny for some time,” she said.   “But now that you mention it, I can just picture her, living in that
house all alone