Page 26 of Last Date
Mom scowled. “I know what you’re doing, son. You’re trying to change the subject.”
June sighed. “Might as well quit while we’re ahead, Beatrice. He’s onto us.”
“That’s right, I am. So, what do you think? Do you suspect Mrs. Glen grabbed the cash and then pointed her finger at everyone else?”
“What?” Mom yelped. “Of course not.”
“I don’t know. It must be tempting to handle all that cash. People often give in to the temptation.”
June laughed. “I’ll eat a worm if either Mrs. McGillivray, Mrs. Glen, or Mrs. Stanley stole the money. They’d never do that because they’d miss the accolades they get by donating all that money to St. Anthony’s.”
“That’s the only reason?” I smiled.
“Well, I don’t see any of them as crooks,” June said. “They’re very pious. I don’t think they’d steal.”
Mom nodded. “Nope. They’re busybodies, not thieves.”
We’d reached June’s street, and I drove slowly down the quiet road. I parked near the curb, and June opened the door. “Thanks for the ride, Kip.” She smiled at Mom. “See you tomorrow? It’s Jazzercise class, right?”
My mom groaned. “Unfortunately.”
Laughing, June got out and gave a wave as she headed toward her house. Once I was sure she was safely inside, I pulled away from the curb. Mom chatted a little about how much she hated exercise, even though she knew she needed it, and I listened distractedly. My mind was still stuck on who would have had the opportunity, and been cold-blooded enough, to steal the money tonight.
By the time I pulled up to my house, I was more than ready to call it a night. I thought guiltily of poor Merrick still stuck at the bingo hall, but there wasn’t anything I could do to help him. He’d picked that job, and now he had to suffer when duty called.
I parked in my driveway, and when I let myself in the house, Spot jumped around giving excited little yipping noises. He grabbed his favorite plushy, a pink squirrel, and wandered around with that in his mouth.
I smiled at him and rubbed his soft fur. “Did you miss me?”
He ran into the kitchen, where he stood next to his food bowl, watching me expectantly. He chomped his jaws down on the plushy, and it made loud squeaking sounds.
“So you didn’t miss me, you just want food?” I laughed. “I already fed you dinner before I left.”
He whined and shifted his feet, still squeaking the plushy toy.
Even though I was tired, guilt ate at me watching him. “How about a walk?” Spot bolted toward me, wagging his tail. I grabbed the leash from the small cabinet near the door. “I thought you might like that suggestion.”
He dropped the toy, and I slipped the leash over his head. I opened the door, and we headed out into the chilly night. Beachcomber Lane was a quiet street where everyone took pride in their yards; lawns were nicely trimmed and shrubs mostly tamed. The neighborhood was a nice mix of senior citizens and families with small children. A lot of guys my age probably would have preferred living in a singles community or something, but I liked the homey vibe of this street.
Lamps lit the windows of the homes we passed, and the sound of voices and laughter drifted out into the night. I hoped one day people might pass my house and get the same sense of family and happiness I got walking by my neighbors’ homes. Sometimes the fact that I was still single surprised me. I’d always pictured myself settled in a relationship by now, but it just hadn’t happened for me yet.
My date with Allister on Friday certainly wouldn’t move me any closer to settling down. I was excited to have a night out with a man as sexy as Allister, but I had zero expectations of an actualrelationshipblossoming between us. He was way out of my league, and we both knew it. Would I even enjoy my time with him? Did we have anything in common? It was entirely possible my time on his yacht would be a disaster. Or maybe it would be the best date I’d ever had.
I walked a couple of blocks with Spot, but I was tired from the long day and turned around sooner than he’d have liked. As I approached my house, I became aware of a van behind me. I glanced over warily but couldn’t make out the driver clearly. It was after midnight, which seemed like an odd time to drive around.
I stopped walking, and the van slowed but didn’t stop. As it drove slowly past, I noticed the name Luscious Stems Florist painted on the side panel. Were midnight flower deliveries a thing? I couldn’t see the driver clearly. His coat collar was pulled up, hiding most of his face, but I did notice a thick black mustache peeking out.
The driver suddenly hit the gas, and the van squealed away, leaving the strong scent of exhaust in its wake. Uneasiness shot through me as I watched the vehicle’s red taillights disappear down the street. Had he been following me, or was I being paranoid? After the two murders we’d had a few months back, I could admit to being less trusting. Growing up, I’d always felt completely safe in Pearl Cove. Now I realized that sense of security had been naive. It didn’t matter where you lived, there would always be people willing to harm you for their own devious reasons.
I hurried down the street to my house, keeping my eyes open for anything or anyone who didn’t seem to belong. Once back inside my home, I made sure all the windows and doors were locked before retiring for the night. As I crawled into my warm bed, with Spot curled up beside me, I had one last pitying thought of poor Merrick stuck at the bingo hall.
Trying to rule the world definitely had its downside.
****
“Green family in chaos as older brother challenges identify of younger brother.” Helen read the newspaper headline aloud, eyes wide.
Charlene gasped. “So it’s true? Allister is demanding a DNA test?”
