Gargantuan_ A Ruby Murphy Mystery - Maggie Estep [112]
I’d never in my life been a thief, but I figured it was okay. It had started with the lady in the fur coat and people shouldn’t wear dead animals.
Eventually, I found the place to buy tickets, only apparently the show was sold out. It didn’t matter though, at least I’d set foot in Carnegie Hall.
I left.
I went back downtown to where the car was parked. Crow was particularly glad to see me, like maybe he’d sensed I was up to something that might have gotten me in trouble. He did some extreme licking of my face and hands, making glad sounds as he did it. I just closed my eyes and let him. When he’d settled down a little, I took the four wallets out of my coat and opened them. The first one only had forty-something dollars in it and a lot of credit cards but I didn’t want to get caught by using credit cards. The second wallet had a hundred and something and more credit cards. In the third wallet, I hit the jackpot. It was a red alligator wallet I’d taken from the lady with the fur coat. The thing was filled with hundred-dollar bills. Over two thousand dollars’ worth. The fourth wallet only had a couple hundred but that was fine. I had plenty now.
A few days later, Crow and I flew to Paris. All I had was a big backpack with two changes of clothes and my toothbrush. My seat turned out to be in the middle of a row of seats, packed in between two Frenchmen. They didn’t say a word to me though and I spent the first few hours worrying about Crow being transported like luggage in the plane’s belly. I had to drink a lot to calm down about it and then, thankfully, I slept.
When we landed in Paris, I raced to the special baggage area to retrieve Crow and he actually seemed okay. A little put out, but okay. I started trying to figure out how to get to Versailles, which is when I learned that dogs are royalty in France and can go anywhere. I just left Crow’s crate by the trash at the airport and Crow and I eventually found the right train.
OUTSIDE THE TRAIN windows, the suburbs are becoming quainter. Old houses with beautiful slate roofs. Majestic ancient trees popping early spring buds.
The train pulls into the station at Versailles and for a minute I’m panicked, not really knowing where I’m going to go. Then I see signs everywhere steering the way to the château. I follow the signs, passing pretty old buildings lined with cafés and souvenir shops. A wide elegant boulevard leads directly to the back of the palace. It is imposing, an enormous stone structure that appears to go on for miles. I feel my mother with me as I approach. I know she’s glad for my getting to see something like this. Crow and I walk to the side of the palace, over an old cobblestoned courtyard and to the back, where the formal gardens stand. It’s a cold day but there are thousands of tourists in spite of this and at first I’m disappointed. It’s all so well kept and grand. A long series of vast terraces lead to a fountain and beyond it to a long canal. It’s certainly big, but it’s too manicured for my tastes. I walk though. Crow trots at my side. We head down past the fountain, threading through packs of tourists and happy couples. We walk along the broad canal for a bit and then, to my right, I see a very long road lined with enormous old trees. We turn down this road and the throng of tourists thins out, giving way to people walking with kids and dogs. Then, to my astonishment, we come to a field full of horses. Very well-groomed, lush-looking horses. I don’t know what the hell they’re doing