Neuro.”
My cat had always been a tad neurotic—hence her name. But after Mr. Persi trotted into our lives and stayed, she quit pulling her fur out. And since Alex had been hanging around, she seemed more relaxed than ever. “Neuro loves you.”
“And . . . ?” he teased.
“And so do I.”
“I never get tired of hearing it.”
Wasn’t that perfect? Because I never got tired of saying it.
*****
After Alex left , I thought about what he said about our children. We had truly come a long way since earlier in the summer when he was too busy even to think about a future with me.
When Carly called as I was getting ready for bed, I was still smiling. “Hello.”
“Hi.”
Her gloomy voice reminded me of the apparent fuss Mama and I had witnessed between her and Elliott earlier. “You doing okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m making a tunnel - of - fudge cake.”
“For what?”
She hesitated. “Just because.”
Uh-oh. Anytime Carly started baking random desserts, I knew we had a problem. “Yeah, right. So you and Elliott had a fight?”
“No.” Her tone was vehement. “We just disagreed about something,” she said more quietly.
“Oh,” I said dryly. “Thanks for clearing that up for me.”
“Enough about us. What about you? Are you getting excited about the wedding? Or has the murder sidetracked your thoughts?”
“The wedding is a means to an end. But I’m excited about Alex and me becoming a family.” I stroked Neuro’s thickening fur and told Carly what Alex had said earlier.
“God’s really blessed us, hasn’t He, Jen?” Her words were choked with tears. I just hoped they were happy tears.
“Yes, He has.”
We talked for a few more minutes , then I told her about Bob calling.
“Don’t you know he’s brokenhearted?” she said. “I remember how upset I was when Zac was a suspect in Hank’s murder.”
“Me , too,” I admitted. “That’s all I can think about. It’s hard for me to feel an overabundance of sympathy for Lisa, but no parent should have to go through that.”
“And sometimes it’s hard to know where to draw the line at protecting our children from pain.”
I had a strange feeling my sister wasn’t talking about Bob and Lisa anymore. But I knew from experience that whatever was going on, she’d tell me when she was ready. And not a minute before.
*****
Gail was at the desk when I arrived at the gym the next morning.
Her solemn face lit up when she saw me. “Jenna, what are you doing here?”
“I just stopped by for a few minutes.” No need to tell her why I was here.
“Guess you heard about Lisa?”
I nodded. “Bob called me.”
“Are you going to be here for a while? I get a break in about thirty minutes , and we could talk.”
I shook my head. “I wish I could stay. I have some things I need to ask you, but right now I have to talk to Lisa then get on to the diner.” I headed toward the office, but she followed me down the hall.
“Did he give you any details?” She looked around to make sure no one could hear us.
“Not yet. I’ll be back to swim as soon as I get a free minute, and we can hash everything out.”
She took the hint and went back to her post. As I neared the open door to the office , I could hear Lisa talking to someone.
“They had to release me. I have an alibi.”
It wasn’t because I was trying to eavesdrop that I stood outside the slightly open door. It was merely that I thought it would be bad manners to barge in when she was busy with someone else. Really.
“A genuine alibi or one you conveniently set up?” a man’s voice snarled.
“I told you just like I told John. Someone stole that gun. I’ve kept it here in the desk drawer for protection , just like you told me to.”
The man’s voice was low , and I couldn’t hear his words.
“Larry, I don’t know who else knew it was here or who took it ,” Lisa said. “ If I did , I’d tell the police . ”
“Because we both know you’re so
My cat had always been a tad neurotic—hence her name. But after Mr. Persi trotted into our lives and stayed, she quit pulling her fur out. And since Alex had been hanging around, she seemed more relaxed than ever. “Neuro loves you.”
“And . . . ?” he teased.
“And so do I.”
“I never get tired of hearing it.”
Wasn’t that perfect? Because I never got tired of saying it.
*****
After Alex left , I thought about what he said about our children. We had truly come a long way since earlier in the summer when he was too busy even to think about a future with me.
When Carly called as I was getting ready for bed, I was still smiling. “Hello.”
“Hi.”
Her gloomy voice reminded me of the apparent fuss Mama and I had witnessed between her and Elliott earlier. “You doing okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m making a tunnel - of - fudge cake.”
“For what?”
She hesitated. “Just because.”
Uh-oh. Anytime Carly started baking random desserts, I knew we had a problem. “Yeah, right. So you and Elliott had a fight?”
“No.” Her tone was vehement. “We just disagreed about something,” she said more quietly.
“Oh,” I said dryly. “Thanks for clearing that up for me.”
“Enough about us. What about you? Are you getting excited about the wedding? Or has the murder sidetracked your thoughts?”
“The wedding is a means to an end. But I’m excited about Alex and me becoming a family.” I stroked Neuro’s thickening fur and told Carly what Alex had said earlier.
“God’s really blessed us, hasn’t He, Jen?” Her words were choked with tears. I just hoped they were happy tears.
“Yes, He has.”
We talked for a few more minutes , then I told her about Bob calling.
“Don’t you know he’s brokenhearted?” she said. “I remember how upset I was when Zac was a suspect in Hank’s murder.”
“Me , too,” I admitted. “That’s all I can think about. It’s hard for me to feel an overabundance of sympathy for Lisa, but no parent should have to go through that.”
“And sometimes it’s hard to know where to draw the line at protecting our children from pain.”
I had a strange feeling my sister wasn’t talking about Bob and Lisa anymore. But I knew from experience that whatever was going on, she’d tell me when she was ready. And not a minute before.
*****
Gail was at the desk when I arrived at the gym the next morning.
Her solemn face lit up when she saw me. “Jenna, what are you doing here?”
“I just stopped by for a few minutes.” No need to tell her why I was here.
“Guess you heard about Lisa?”
I nodded. “Bob called me.”
“Are you going to be here for a while? I get a break in about thirty minutes , and we could talk.”
I shook my head. “I wish I could stay. I have some things I need to ask you, but right now I have to talk to Lisa then get on to the diner.” I headed toward the office, but she followed me down the hall.
“Did he give you any details?” She looked around to make sure no one could hear us.
“Not yet. I’ll be back to swim as soon as I get a free minute, and we can hash everything out.”
She took the hint and went back to her post. As I neared the open door to the office , I could hear Lisa talking to someone.
“They had to release me. I have an alibi.”
It wasn’t because I was trying to eavesdrop that I stood outside the slightly open door. It was merely that I thought it would be bad manners to barge in when she was busy with someone else. Really.
“A genuine alibi or one you conveniently set up?” a man’s voice snarled.
“I told you just like I told John. Someone stole that gun. I’ve kept it here in the desk drawer for protection , just like you told me to.”
The man’s voice was low , and I couldn’t hear his words.
“Larry, I don’t know who else knew it was here or who took it ,” Lisa said. “ If I did , I’d tell the police . ”
“Because we both know you’re so
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