The Puzzle Master Read Online Free Page A

eyes caressing every light, every chair, and even the dust on the top of the mini refrigerator.
    “Suppose that’s because you spend most of your time looking at stuff out there,” and Luke laughed. Mr. Luke was right. Marshall hadn’t even looked this way. Ever.
    The girl stood by the door after the other two went in.
    “Come on in Iris, you might as well make yourself at home here. You’re gonna be spending a lot of time in this place.”
    Iris stepped in gingerly.
    “Excuse me Mr. Luke, is she, Iris, is she staying with you now?” Marshall looked at her and she looked away to the noisy air conditioning unit, intent on studying it from where she was. It reminded Marshall of his own air conditioning back home, in his room. For a second, the consequences of running away for this trip tugged at his conscience. But he stuffed those thoughts away when he saw Iris watching him.
    Luke nodded. “I suppose so. She used to live with my sister, her aunt Norma, but Norma is in bad health. Had a stroke, you see, can’t do anything now. So Iris’s come to live with me.”
    “Her aunt?” Marshall asked. He looked back at the girl. “But what about her parents?”
    Luke looked down at Iris and then at Marshall. “Her parents are dead.”
    Marshall thought he heard wrong. “You mean she doesn’t have a mom or dad anymore?”
    “No,” said a small, sweet voice. Iris walked into the room and faced them. “It was a long time ago,” she said.
    Marshall was relieved. He felt bad for talking about her in front of her.
    “Oh, okay,” was all he said. He felt stupid.
    “So about that surprise,” Luke said and walked over to the table. He tugged open a paper bag. He brought out a box; a flat, rectangular box. Marshall took in a breath and held it.
    “I think I remember something about you liking puzzles,” said Luke, folding up the paper bag and tossing it into the garbage and missing. “Well, this is something else.”
    Marshall walked over to it. He let his breath out, and then drew another one in. “ It’s amazing.” he said in a whisper. “I can’t believe it … it’s incredible.”
    Iris walked next to him, her eyes as large as a bowls, the whites of her eyes like milk. “What is it?”
    Marshall looked at her as if she was crazy. “What is it? It’s a puzzle.”
    “Oh … is that all?” She looked at the front of it. It was a picture of golden foothills, mixed with oak trees that looked like the size of twigs. There were a few houses, some barns, cattle and horses. But the most amazing things about it was its size.
    “No way,” Marshall whispered. “No way!” he said again, this time loudly. “This is a ten-thousand-piece puzzle! I’ve never even heard of that before.”
    Luke stood there with a pleased smile on his face, and then coughed.
    “Glad you like it,” he said rubbing his chin. He was fidgeting, toying with his shirttails. Marshall figured he needed another cigarette. “I’ll just be out front,” Luke said. “But I’m glad it’s to your liking.”
    “Absolutely,” Marshall said slowly. “Thanks.”
    Luke smiled and got out of the room quicker than a bolt of lightning.
    Marshall looked at the puzzle again, delighted at the find. All these times in the shop, the talk with Mr. Luke, and he had remembered: Marshall liked puzzles. But this puzzle was the biggest, sweetest, most beautiful puzzle he had ever seen.
    Iris watched him from the corner of her eyes. Marshall noticed again that her skin was like the color of fresh paper, and clear like clean water. She seemed so fragile. And she definitely seemed like she didn’t understand his excitement.
    “What’s so great about this one?” She asked, trying to figure out the mystery and joy on Marshall’s face. “Is this one unusual?”
    Marshall’s mouth opened. “Don’t you know anything about puzzles?”
    She shrugged her shoulders again. “I’ve maybe done one or two.”
    “This is the biggest piece-count I’ve ever seen.