Lurking Larkin

Brenda's peace is shattered with the arrival of a "lowlife rat on 2 legs" Real Estate Addict, and control freak.

After Farleigh dropped Brenda off at the Blundon house, he headed toward Dr. Sullivan's office to make an appointment for the following Wednesday.  The doctor was out on call, so the man with a "special problem" chatted with his receptionist for a few minutes, after mentioning that his mother, Laura, had worked for Dr. Sullivan, and that his deceased wife, Edwina, had been a patient after her first husband, Frederick, had died suddenly. On his way back to Beltsville, he loaded up on groceries, and stopped at the library to borrow a few books. "Holing up" for weeks was not an unusual activity for him. 

Brenda had previously chatted with Helene, and the two planned to throw together a new Halloween display consisting of mannequins who represented various ways to depart the Earthly plane. Brenda checked with Helene, and conspired to "throw together" a "quickie" Halloween window. It would feature dead mannequins having a party, and each would wear a sign around his or her necks indicating "manners of death." The "noose man" would be self explanatory, or perhaps might sport a sign "Tripped over a cat. Broke neck before I could hang myself properly." Many of the locals might find it tasteless, but Brenda had her oddball fan base to lean on during her occasional times of public scorn.

Daniel telephoned and shared what he felt to be "pertinent points"about the "final until next year" reenactment held at the Calvert mansion. His "role playing with a musket" had been very brief, and waiting for Caitlin to finish her photo opportunity was all that remained for him to do that day. He had somehow avoided posing with her, but Henry stole the show. Caitlin was featured on the "Local Events" page sporting a (what she she thought to be) a "movie star smile." Despite the publicity, very few people congratulated her. Daniel said that they argued on the way back home over Grandma Mo's request to spend an entire week "very soon" with the 3 of them in the claustrophobic house. He also added that it was "painful" to drive past the Blundon home, and not be able to stop in for a "Brenda" kiss.

A week after the Halloween display appeared, a young man entered the Antique shop, and introduced himself as Jeffrey Larkin, new owner of the "old home" next door to the Blundon house. After a few awkward  "pleased to meet you"sentences, he confirmed that his house was, indeed, on a separate lot, and had been built by Mr. Blundon, used as a guest house, then sold to a "compatible" colleague. He talked, non stop, about himself, mainly, and Brenda disliked him immediately. He barely noticed the window ghouls, and engaged his beady black eyes to scan every inch of her shop. Perhaps he wanted to buy the whole town ? Brenda managed to get a word in edgewise as he jingled the loose change in his right pocket, or perhaps they were keys to all of his "ill begotten" real estate holdings.

Luckily, he was not married, childfree, and didn't plan any major changes to his home or property "just yet." He would live there part time, and try to get zoning variations so he could rent it out for offices. Brenda reminded him that it was historical, and residential, but he said he was working on changing the flavor of the neighborhood, and then the entire town, including the building her shop was in. Brenda sent a telepathic message to Mr. Blundon, and he told her that he went through the same thing that she is feeling.

Larkin the Darklin was now officially on Brenda's enemy list, but would never reveal her feelings unless he crossed the line. Crossing her threshold at the Blundon house would probably give the young rogue a case of dyspepsia. The mannequins would see to it. The shock couldn't come soon enough for Miss Grayson.

December 21 2014

J. Marks