Her comment surprised me. I hadn’t thought that Harper had made friends with any people in South Cove in the short time she’d been here, but I’d been wrong. “How well do you know Harper?”

  Carrie put her arm around Doc. “She ate most of her meals at Lille’s for the last few months since she opened her shop. Career girls, they never think they’re going to need to cook. I guess she thought she’d live in the city for the rest of her life.”

  “Did she ever talk about her family? About Alicia, at least before she was killed?” This was getting interesting.

  “Of course. She hated the husband. She said Alicia was no more than a prisoner in that marriage. I guess Harper had tried to talk her out of it, so they didn’t talk for a few years, but when she came to visit a few months ago, she basically admitted to Harper that she’d been right. I guess she was trying to find a place near here to move to.” Carrie rubbed Emma’s ears.

  “Why do you say that?” I needed to keep Carrie talking. She was a gold mine.

  She rolled her shoulders. “I found some of those house flyers on the table when Harper left one day. The houses were all nearby, just more inward. They can be a little cheaper if they don’t have an ocean view.”

  “Carrie’s daughter has been looking at houses nearby,” Doc added as if that explained Carrie’s interest.

  “Oh, well, thanks for chatting with me. I should let you two get started on your evening.” I figured the first thing Carrie would do was take off her shoes and maybe soak in a hot bath. Then, I didn’t really want to know what they had planned. “See you soon.”

  “Thanks for stopping by, Jill.” Doc waved as I walked back around the building and to my Jeep.

  Doc and Carrie were an official item. Which was totally cute. And might explain Greg’s information leaks. Could Carrie be spreading information she didn’t realize was confidential?

  I called Greg’s cell as I drove back to South Cove. “Whatcha doing?”

  “Looking at cell phone transcripts. Did you know Alicia was making plans to move down here months before she disappeared?” Greg asked.

  “I just heard that she was looking at houses. Or at least Harper was looking at houses for her.” I had the windows down, and Emma had her head out, catching the breeze with her tongue hanging out.

  The other end of the call was silent.

  I thought I’d lost reception around a curve. “Greg, are you there?”

  “I’m at the station. Where are you?”

  “Driving back from Bakerstown. I went to ask Doc something.” I grimaced. I hadn’t wanted to tell him I was grilling Doc for information. He might think I was the leak. “Carrie’s already moved in.”

  “Good to know. But how did you know Alicia was looking at houses here?”

  Me and my big mouth. I told him about the real estate flyers. “Carrie talked to Harper at the diner when she came in for meals. I guess she talked about her sister a lot.”

  “The sister she didn’t recognize for twenty-four hours.” He groaned. “I’m coming home for dinner. I keep going around and around, and nothing is making sense. I think we should work on the thank-you notes after dinner.”

  That was a change of subject. “Okay, but don’t you have a game to watch?”

  “Probably, but this is more important. It’s our first action as an engaged couple. Besides, your aunt called and asked when we were planning on finishing. I guess she asked Mary if she’d received our card yet.”

  I laughed. “Leave it to Aunt Jackie. We had lunch today. I guess she thought my answer wasn’t good enough. I’m sorry she bothered you at work.”

  “It’s fine. Like I said, I need some time away from this, so maybe I could see the missing puzzle piece.”

  “Okay, I’ll take some meat out when I get home. Chicken, fish, or something else?”

  “Let’s do fish. And that lime rice you make. I’ll see you soon.”

  I ended the call and turned to see Emma grinning at me. “Yep, your boy is coming home tonight. Maybe you can talk him into a few rounds of fetch before we cook dinner.”

  Emma barked, and I thought she was saying “no maybe about it.” Or she was upset at a seagull that got too close to the car.

  Greg’s truck pulled into the driveway right after I did. So much for me getting out something for dinner. We’d have to defrost it in the microwave unless he was serious about taking the entire evening off. I waited at the door for him. Emma jumped on his legs as he walked toward us.

  “I told her that you were coming home.” I unlocked the door and turned on the lights. Home. “Are you really taking the entire night off?”

  “Unless someone walks into the station and confesses to killing Alicia Sanchez, yes.” He paused. “Let me rephrase that. Unless someone besides Pat walks into the station and confesses.”

  “She knows she can’t take the blame if Sherry had really done the deed, right? You’re too good of a detective, you saw right through her fake confession.” I moved toward the kitchen and let Emma out in the backyard.

  “Pat would do anything for Sherry. They’re just that close.” He opened the fridge and got out a soda. “I wish she just would have trusted me a little more. There was no way Sherry was going to be charged with something she didn’t do. Not on my watch.”

  “You’re a good man, Detective King.” I got out the tuna I’d stuck in the freezer after my last trip to Bakerstown to shop. “I can do a watermelon and feta salad to go along with the rice.”

  “Sounds perfect. But are you being sarcastic about the good man thing?” He put his arms around me and pulled me close to him. “You know there’s nothing between Sherry and me anymore. History is just that. History.”

  “I know. And yes, I meant it. But I was thinking of how you didn’t just shirk off all the thank-you notes because I’m the girl.” I felt safe in his embrace. Something I’d never get tired of feeling.

  “You have horrible handwriting. You should have been a doctor.” He let me go, then went to the back door. Emma stood there, looking in at us through the screen door. Her tennis ball was in her mouth. “I’m being called into the game. Are you coming outside?”

  “As soon as I put this fish in the microwave.” I watched as he went outside and threw the ball for Emma. We all had our happy moments, and for Emma, she had a top two. When she ran with me and when Greg threw the ball. She knew she was loved. And really, that’s all that matters sometimes.

  * * * *

  Friday morning, I had changed my alarm to an hour later. My commuters were going to be upset, but if we were staying open through the night for the readathon, I needed at least a little sleep. And I’d warned them. But typical me, I was up at my regular time anyway. I used the time to pack an overnight bag with some people-appropriate pj’s as well as a few things to make me look at least a little less drained the next morning.

  Greg was still downstairs when I came down with my overnight bag.

  “You look like a preteen packing for a sleepover rather than someone going to work.” He leaned over to kiss me. “Now you be good with the other kids and don’t give the parents a hard time.”

  “Sadly, I am the parent in this situation. Did I tell you that Sadie and Pastor Bill agreed to come help with the sleepover part? They have experience with lock-ins at the church.” I filled my travel mug with coffee and sat at the table. Reaching down, I gave Emma a hug. “I’d bring you with me, but who knows what kid is going to be afraid of dogs or allergic to dog hair.”

  “I’ll bring her over for a short visit after I get home tonight.” He snapped his fingers, and she moved over to his side of the table. “I’m going to grab takeout from Lille’s, then come home and watch a game.”

  “No thank-you notes?” We had made a big dent in the pile, but we had one more session to finish everything.

  He shook his head. “Not going to happen. This is a you-and-me event. It can wait until Sunday morning. Are you still on with Amy for brunch?”

  I shook my head. “We canceled this weekend. She’s spending time with Justin on Sunday to talk about his bringing work home all the time.”

  “Fun times.” Greg finished his coffee. “Speaking of work, I need to head into town and make some calls. Something triggered a new lead last night, and I need to see if it goes anywhere.”

  “Sounds promising. Hey, Carrie asked if we were going to Alicia’s funeral on Sunday. I think she’s trying to get a good showing from South Cove to help support Harper.” I eyed the muffins on the table but knew I’d be eating junk all day long with this readathon. Instead, I grabbed a banana and peeled it.

  “Not a bad idea.” He put his coffee cup in the sink and grabbed the last muffin I’d been eyeing. “It might just provide some clarity.”

  “The funeral might provide clarity?” I studied him and could see the wheels turning in his head. “Exactly what is this new lead you’re looking at?”

  He paused in the doorway. “It’s just been bugging me all night. Why would a perfectly happy wife, in a good marriage, according to her husband and his work friends, be looking at moving two states away?”

  Chapter 18

  The shop was a madhouse by ten. There were kids everywhere, a book in one hand and typically a piece of candy or a soda in the other. We had free water and plain coffee available for the participants and the parents, but most had brought a cooler of sodas as well as healthy snacks. But I didn’t see a lot of cheese sticks being finished.

  Deek stood next to me, surveying the room. “This is bigger than my wildest estimates. The television station called just now and is sending down a crew for the late news. As long as we don’t get bumped by a ten-car pileup or a mass murderer running around loose, you and Coffee, Books, and More are going to be on the news.”

  “Is it bad I’m hoping for the pileup?” I rang up a large mocha and a romance novel for one of the mothers. “Thirty-seven fifty.”

  “Just swipe the card. Or open me a tab. I saw you have the second and third book on the shelf too. This is amazing. Just think, I get to spend the time reading and be a good mother. That doesn’t happen a lot.” The woman giggled and took her drink and book over to the corner where her daughter was deep into a young adult fantasy.

  “We’re filling an unmet need.” I leaned back on the counter behind the cash register. “Just don’t ask me to do this again for at least a year. Maybe two.”

  “You’ll probably change your mind when you see the sales reports. I’ve sold more books in the last hour than I did all last week. Even with the book club last Saturday.” Deek pointed to a family of four huddled around a table near the front. “I’ve seen the mom in here with the kids, but this is the first time the dad’s come in. And he bought three books on California history. He’s a pirate nut. So I’m ordering in a few more he might like. We’re making reading cool.”

  I laughed and saw Aunt Jackie waving me over to the bookshelves. “I’m being paged. Although if it’s about a book, maybe I should send you.”

  “Jackie knows who she wants to talk to. Sending me would just delay your arrival.” He reached out to take a book from a woman who’d came up to the cash register. “Can I get you anything else? The brownies are pretty amazing. I’ve had two this morning already.”

  “You had me at brownie.” She grinned. “Thank you for doing this. My Caroline doesn’t like reading, but she’s been talking about this event all month. Her friends are all here.”

  Lucky us, I thought as I smiled and walked away. My aunt stood next to a man in his fifties. He had the typical rich tourist outfit of polo shirt and well-maintained linen shorts and a tan that made his whitened teeth gleam. “Hey, what can I help you with?”

  “Max Winter. So nice to meet you. I’m a developer for upscale communities, and I’m looking for a building site near South Cove. Your aunt says you own the property near the highway? Are you interested in selling?” He handed me a card.

  I didn’t reach for it. “Actually, no. My home isn’t for sale.”

  “We are always looking at future development too. Maybe you’d be interested in an option? We’d pay you a set amount just to have first dibs on the property in case you changed your mind or circumstances change. It happens sometimes.” He kept holding out the card.

  I didn’t like him. I didn’t like his rebound any better. But as several people had told me lately, the future wasn’t just mine to plan anymore. What if Greg got offered a new job in a bigger city? Would I keep both the house and the business? Doubt must have shown on my face, as he continued.

  “You don’t have to make a decision today. I just came in to purchase a few books for my vacation. Take my card. You can call me later and tell me no over the phone. It’s easier to be direct when you’re not looking at someone in the face.” He jiggled the card.

  This time I took it. “My answer won’t change, but I need to chat with my fiancé first before confirming. I have no current plans of moving or selling.”

  He laughed, and it didn’t sound fake at all. “That’s the thing. Most people don’t until they do.”

  After he walked to the register with four hardbound purchases, I turned to my aunt. “Why did you tell him I owned Miss Emily’s house?”

  She shook her head, watching him pull out cash for his purchase. “That’s the thing. I didn’t. All I did was confirm that you were the sole owner. He already knew me and you. I’d been watching him for several minutes before he approached me. He came in, grabbed the books off the shelf, and then pretended to read the back of one while he watched the room.”

  “What do you think he’s up to?” I waved as he left the shop. Books in hand.

  My aunt watched too. “If I were to guess, I think he thought you’d be alone this morning. I have a feeling he’s a smooth talker. When he walked in and the event was going, he had to change his strategy.”

  “I’m not selling. I don’t know how many times I have to say that.” I picked up a candy wrapper and dropped it in a nearby trash can.

  “Probably a lot. That property is worth a lot of money. And will just continue to appreciate in value.”

  My aunt’s words continued to haunt me as I worked the rest of the day. Around noon, I had a delivery of Tiny’s sub sandwiches come in from Lille’s for the staff. I started sending people off the floor to the office to eat. My aunt took hers and one for Harrold and left the shop. She’d go to the Train Station to eat and relax for a bit before coming back.

  Greg showed up about one. He looked around the crowded but quiet store. People were eating lunch or reading or just relaxing. The coffee and water stations were filled, and the kids had all fallen into a book or were on their second one. I’d already checked in several cards that had more than one book finished. I wished I was reading along.

  “You alone here?” He sat on a stool near the register.

  I shrugged toward the office door. “They’re on break. I get mine in about fifteen minutes. Do you want some coffee?”

  “Actually, I came to see if I could steal you for lunch.” He pointed to the Diamond Lille’s bag on the counter. “But it looks like you already ordered.”

  “We can have sandwiches in the back if you want to hang out for a few minutes until Deek or Evie get back.”

  “Sounds perfect. I’m waiting for some callbacks anyway. I told Esmeralda to patch it through to my cell if anyone responds.” He looked around the shop. “Looks like the readathon is a success.”

  “I think so. It’s a lot of work, and we need more people on staff when we do this again, but it’s been fun and everyone has been great to work with.” I handed him the card. “And I got an offer on the house today.”

  “I didn’t know it was for sale.” He studied the card. “Coastal Investment Properties?”

  “I think it’s a retirement community. He came in to talk to me, but he was surprised by the readathon. I don’t want to sell Miss Emily’s house, but I thought I should talk to you.”

  He shook his head and tried to hand the card back. I hesitated. “Why would you talk to me about the house?”

  “We’re engaged. Maybe you see your future in a bigger city running your own department.” I held out the ring. “This means where you go, I go.”

  He took my hand and kissed it. “That means we talk about our future goals and plans together. Not that you follow me. As of today, I have no plans of leaving South Cove. If I went to a bigger department, I’d have more people questioning my decisions. And then Mayor Baylor would probably hire one of his friends to take over, and Tim and Toby would quit, then South Cove would turn into a drug den for thieves and malcontents.”

  “Wow, that’s dark.” I was kind of impressed at the detail he’d thought about our lives. “Thorough, but dark.”

  He grinned. “Sometimes I have a lot of time to think. So don’t worry about where the future is taking us. My home is here.” He pointed to my heart. “Where you go, I’ll follow.”

  “And back at you.” I leaned my head on his shoulder.

  “Excuse me, I need to check in this book and buy the next one.” A girl of about twelve stood in front of us. “And a cookie, please.”

  “Let me know when you’re ready to take a break. I’m going to look for the next book in that action series Deek suggested last month.” Greg nodded to the little girl as he left the cash register. “She’s all yours.”

  It took a little over twenty minutes for me to get free for lunch, but Greg didn’t seem to mind. For someone who had a murder investigation on his plate, he didn’t seem distracted. Instead, he stopped and chatted with several families while I checked off books read and sold more cookies. When Evie arrived to work after taking Homer for a walk, I lifted a hand to get his attention.

  We headed to the back and packed up sandwiches, chips, and a couple of sodas, then took the haul out to the back parking lot. Greg had set up a picnic table over on the other side of the road where a creek ran behind the buildings. Several of the locals used it for a quick break away from their shops.