Page 2 of Take a Hike
Fifi tried sitting up again. This time, she managed as Bennett reluctantly released her. “A key? What’s it for?”
“That what you were looking for in the closet?” Bennett rumbled, still looking peeved at Charlie for waking his wife.
“I wasn’t surewhatI was looking for, but this was hidden in the clothes rod, so I’m thinking it was whatMomwas searchingfor.” She dropped the key into Fifi’s outstretched hand. “Think she wants it bad enough to come get it?”
Fifi looked up from the key and met Charlie’s gaze. “Bait the trap?” she asked, starting to smile.
“Yep.” Charlie grinned back at her, feeling a bone-deep satisfaction at the idea of finally,finallybringing in their mom. “Let’s catch our skip.”
One
“Why are we in the middle of nowhere again?” Charlie asked, sucking in a breath of thin, chilly air. She was used to living at a high altitude, but this seemedexcessivelyhigh. Ridiculously high. Higher than any town with actual residents should be.
“I’m sick of Mom having the advantage,” Felicity said in the overly patient tone she tended to use while explaining the same thing over and over. “She has too many friends in Langston.”
Charlie knew she was being annoying. She’d first asked that very question before they’d left home, and then again while they were going over the first pass and her phone lost service. As she peered around the odd little mountain town—and the suspicious-looking residents glared back—she was just having a hard time seeing how beingheregave them any advantage.
Fifi must’ve seen her skeptical expression because she gave a secretive little smile. “Just wait until you meet the murder ladies.”
“Okay, I am excited about that,” Charlie admitted.
Fifi and Bennett had spent some time here recently, and four local women had helped them chase a skip—and investigate the murder of Cobra Jones, a local militia leader. Apparently, the women had done some amateur sleuthing before—enough to dub themselves the Simpson Murder Club. Charlie found itintriguing that such a small town had enough killings to support an actualmurder club.
She saw a sign for the Black Bear Inn. “Is that the place thatkicked you out?”
Felicity was already headed for the coffee shop door, but Bennett gave a short nod.
“Want to burn it down later?” Charlie asked conversationally as she followed her sister into The Coffee Spot.
The corner of Bennett’s mouth twitched up in a tiny smile that Charlie took as a definite yes. This was why she liked her new brother-in-law. He understood that no one who hurt Fifi—or any of her sisters—should be allowed to go unpunished. She doubted he was actually down for some arson, but she bet she could talk him into some minor graffiti, possibly an egging. It was also nice to have him in her back pocket as someone who’d help her get rid of a body without giving her a sisterly lecture, if the need arose. Between that and his ever-present multi-tool, he was a handy guy to have around.
Bennett proved his usefulness yet again by holding the door open for her. Charlie gave him an absent nod of thanks as shetook in the occupants of the busy shop. There were four acting shifty that she was going to keep her eye on, plus one woman at the counter who looked a littletoosweet to be authentic. The innocent-looking ones always caused the most trouble when it came down to a tussle.
“Fifi!” The barista’s voice filled the coffee shop. “My favorite best friend!”
“I’m sittingrighthere, Lou,” the too-innocent-looking woman complained, although she couldn’t completely contain a laugh.
“Oops.” The barista—who was apparently the famous Lou that Fifi had told them about—attempted to look contrite, but a smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth. “You’re myequallyfavorite best friend, Daisy.”
“Uh-huh. Nice save.” Daisy was having as hard a time holding her mock-offended expression as Lou was. Turning to Felicity, Daisy smiled. “Good to see you again, Fifi.” Her gaze moved to Bennett, who’d taken a seat at the counter right next to his wife. “You too, Fifi’s stalker-husband.”
Charlie laughed. “That’s our nickname for him too!” Surging forward, she grabbed the seat between Daisy and Bennett. “I’m Fifi’s sister—herfavoritesister—Charlie.”
“Charlotte,” Bennett muttered under his breath, making her poke him.
“Char-lie.” She emphasized the second syllable as Bennett and Fifi snickered, their heads together.
“Don’t worry,” Lou said as she washed her hands. “I get it. I’m a Louise on all my legal documents.”
Charlie gave her a grateful nod before shooting her sister and new brother-in-law a death glare.
Bennett was undeterred. “CharlotteCalamity.”
Scowling, Charlie said, “I liked it better when you didn’t talk.”
“Your middle name’s Calamity?” Daisy asked. “That’s amazing.”
“Mom named her perfectly,” Fifi agreed.
