Page 41 of Merry Murder Season
Time moved too quickly in our lives. I didn’t want to regret anything. Like how Chris was regretting the time that she and Chip had missed. The problem with relationships is that both people have to be on the same page at the same time for it to work. Jim needed to learn that quickly to keep Beth. She wouldn’t be in a holding pattern for long.
Greg woke me up when he arrived home later that night. He picked up the empty quart of ice cream and spoon off my lap where I was lying on the couch.I was pretty sure I’d finished it before falling asleep, but Emma had that guilty look on her face, so I wasn’t positive. And the container looked too clean.
“Hey, go to bed. I’ll let Emma out,” Greg said as he turned off the television. He was pretty good at multitasking since he found me like this a lot.
“Have you looked at Chip’s finances? Did he have some hidden income?” I stood and folded the small blanket I kept on the couch forchilly nights.
“If it’s hidden, how would I find it?” Greg asked as he went into the kitchen to let Emma out.
I paused on the stairwell. I looked out the transom window on the front and saw Esmeralda’s house. What had she said that morning? “You’re kind of a super sleuth when it comes to things like this. Did you have a surprising day?”
He threw away the container and put the spoon in the dishwasher. Then he added soap and started it. “No more than normal.Why? Did you?”
“Kind of. I hired a new barista. Andrew. He’s Evie’sfriend’s son.”
“Twice removed?” Greg asked.
I was tired. The phrase didn’t seem to mean anything. “What?”
“Go to bed. I’m staying home tomorrow morning and walking you to work. I’m missing my girl.” He laughed as Emma barked from the back porch. She must have heard his wording. “I didn’t mean you, but I’m missing you as well, Miss Emma.”
Smiling at my guy and my dog, I headed upstairs and got ready for bed. If neither of us had run into the surprise that the spirits had told our local fortune-teller was coming, had we gotten past the test or was it still in the wind? “Maybe a surprise suspect will show up tomorrow and confess tokilling Chip.”
“And monkeys will fly,” Greg said as he and Emma came into the bedroom. He dug in the laundry basket and separated out his uniform shirts. “I’m going to start these now and put them in the dryer when I get up. Hopefully, one will be done before I have to go to the station.”
“I could wash those for you.” I climbed into bed, ignoring the book sitting on my nightstand. Maybe I’d have time to read tomorrow morning.
“Old habit. I asked Sherry to wash them once and I had to buy all new shirts since she put a piece of her red lingerie in the batch with them. Everything was pink.” He found the last shirt and paused by the doorway. “And yes, I know you’re not Sherry. I can wash my shirts, though.”
I curled under the sheets, a smile on my lips. I knew it wasn’t a comparison, but this one time, something Sherry had done hadn’t come back to bite me. In fact, it was saving me some time.
* * *
I smelled bacon as I came downstairs. Bacon and maple? Or was that blueberry? Beth, Greg, and Emma were all downstairs and in the kitchen before me. Emma was drooling as Greg fried bacon, and from what I could smell, Beth had something in the oven. No wonder Jim didn’t want her to work. She was an amazing cook.
“Good morning, family.” I headed straight to the coffeepot. “Greg, did you put your shirtsin the dryer?”
He chuckled as he put a plate of bacon and eggs down in front of me. “Hours ago, but thanks for the reminder. I’m just waiting to finish breakfast before I get dressed. The last time I made bacon, Toby complained that he was starving all day.”
“He’s always starving.” I dug into my breakfast. “What are you doing this morning, Beth? I don’t want to mention your leaving, but have you been on thebeach lately?”
“Every day. I put it as one of my three must-dos in my planner. I’ll go as soon as you leave for work. I should have asked before, but you don’t mind me taking Emma with me, do you? She knows I don’t run, so she just kind of hangs out withme as we walk.”
“I bet she’s loving it.” I reached down and gave Emma a bite of my bacon. I wasn’t above bribing my dog to remember who she loved more. “I might be driving to Bakerstown today if you wantto go with me.”
“I’m off at three if you can wait.” Beth opened her planner. “I need to take some books back to the library and I’d love to spend a few hours researching this new cult that Dom’ssister was in.”
Greg sat down at the table and opened a muffin. The basket on the counter was full of them. He and Beth must have already eaten the protein part of breakfast since he’d cleaned up the pans after he gave me my plate. “What have you found out so far? I asked Esmeralda to do a deep dive and see if there’s anything that connects Chip to the cult orDom’s sister.”
Beth looked up sharply. “Because?”
“Because Dom is still a person of interest and revenge is a dish often served cold.” Greg smiled. “These aregood. Thanks.”
She smiled back at him. “Well, if this was revenge for Dom’s sister, the dish is frozen, not cold. But whatever. You do you. And if you want, you can take some of these muffins to the station. I think I made too many for just us.”
“You’re sweet, thanks.” He didn’t stand. Instead he turned his attention to me. “While Beth is researching cults for her book, you’llbe doing what?”
“Helping her?” I smiled and felt my lips stretchover my teeth.
