Page 48 of A Touch of Murder
"Francine Bulliton." She shook his hand. "I've been to your store a few times to get oils. I love the place."
"Thanks." He sat down beside her. "Do you work nearby?"
"I work at Up Do just down the street from you," she told him.
"One place in town I haven't been to." He smiled as he ran his gloved fingers through his hair.
"You should drop by. We cut men's hair as well," she informed him.
"Thanks, but with my ability, I don't let anyone cut my hair. Too much contact. I learned long ago to cut my own."
"Oh, I hadn't thought about that. Yeah, that would make sense. Wow, I hadn't even thought about all the stuff you probably can't do that we take for granted." Francine glanced at Becky. "Can you imagine not being able to get your hair done?"
"I'd cry, but I'm guessing it's not the same for most men." Becky held up the necklace Adam had given her. "Look at my gift."
"Oh, that is pretty. It will look great on you. Turn around and let me put it on you." Francine took the necklace.
"Evening." Barret took a seat beside Adam.
"Hello." Adam grinned. "You need any help with things?"
"Nope, just about ready to pull the ribs off the grill, then I'll let them sit a bit. Sorry I haven't been by this week. It's been insane at work. Not only are we dealing with the murder investigation, but we also have that art show in the park. We've been working overtime doing security for it," Barret told him.
"Jacey's been down there. Said it's a great show. I guess his girlfriend paints and is hoping to sell some of her items there next year." Adam waved his hand at the yard. "I love your place. I'd sit out here every morning and enjoy my coffee."
"Come over any time," Barret offered. "I am usually in such a rush, I don't get to enjoy it, but I do come out on my days off and sit. The deer sometimes come down and sleep under the pines toward the back. It's not huge, but it's mine."
"You don't need huge. This is the perfect sanctuary." Adam wished he had a yard to enjoy. Outside his place there were parking lots and roads. Maybe someday he'd look into buying a house.
"I'm glad you like it." Barret smiled as he watched Becky and Francine. "Other than those two from time to time, I don't have anyone over. I'm hoping to change that and have you over when we both have time off work."
"I'd like that. This beats my place any day. Later, you'll have to show me around the inside."
"It's nothing fancy, but I'm happy to show it off." Barret stood. "Got to check the meat."
Adam watched as Barret went back to the smoker and did his thing. Adam didn't have the first clue how the thing worked. He'd never lived in a place where he could cook on a grill. When he lived with Myrtle, the older neighbor who had taken him in, he'd been focused on work and survival. He never thought to invite people to her home while she was alive, and once she'd died, Adam had mostly cut people from his life because they couldn't understand him.
Dinner was delicious and Adam had a great time getting to know everyone better. He really loved hearing Francine's stories about working as a park ranger in Yellowstone for several years before moving to Hidden Falls. They'd laughed and joked and for the first time in years, Adam felt like he had friends. Not the kind of friends you'd wave to when you passed on the street, but true friends who he could call up and visit with or plan a day out with.
"I need to be going. I have to open the bakery early." Becky stood.
"And my first appointment is coming in at seven." Francine also got up.
"Thank you for everything." Becky hugged her brother, then turned to Adam. "Thank you for the company and this amazing gift." She touched the necklace that now hung from her neck.
"Thank you for letting me be part of this," he told her.
"We'll do it again soon." Becky waved and she and Francine went inside, leaving Barret and Adam alone.
"Thank you for coming. Those two can be a bit much when I'm alone with them. Somehow they think teasing me is as fun now as it used to be when we were kids." Barret played with the label on his beer bottle.
"It was nice to meet Francine. I hear Becky talk about her all the time. Now I can put a face with the name. As far as saving you from them, I doubt you really need backup."
"Still, it's nice to have."
Adam took a bite of the cheesecake that he'd been picking at for a while. It was delicious, but he'd eaten so many ribs he could hardly handle anything else. "So, how are things going with the case? I feel out of the loop this week."
"There's really nothing to tell. We talked to the parole officers for each man and like we figured, they hadn't checked in in months. There were already warrants out for them due toskipping out on parole, but now they have the murder charges to face as well. We just need to find them." Barret sighed, his frustration apparent. "I've combed every trucking company in the area, ran searches on both men's social security numbers, hoping they'd gotten a job somewhere, but everything comes up blank. It's like they're ghosts."
