The House on Sugar Plum Lane by JUDY DUARTE

branch needs to be cut back. As you can see, it’s creating a problem. If we don’t do something about it, the fence will need to be repaired or replaced. But we can’t cut it without the neighbor’s permission. Do you know the people who live there?”
    â€œI just met her,” Amy said. “Her name is Maria. And I don’t think she’ll mind. Do you want me to talk to her about it?”
    â€œI’ll do it. We’ve got a release form I’d like for her to sign.” Eddie stepped closer to the fence and peered into Maria’s yard, checking out the tree that was causing the problem.
    Amy couldn’t imagine Maria having a problem with Eddie trimming her tree. After all, the fence was already starting to bow from the weight.
    â€œBy the way,” Eddie added, “the sprinkling system is shot. I’m not sure if Mr. Davila will want to go to the expense of tearing it out and replacing it. If not, you’ll have to water the old-fashioned way.”
    It’s not that Amy didn’t like yard work, but she’d committed to a lot more than she’d planned already. And while she’d defend her actions to Brandon, she was getting drawn deeper and deeper into something she hadn’t thought completely through when she’d leased the house.
    â€œWell, I guess that’s it for now.” Eddie stepped away from the fence and turned, ready to head back to the front yard. “I don’t want to keep you from your work or your company.”
    â€œHe’s not exactly company,” she said as they walked. “But while you’re here, can I ask you something?”
    â€œShoot.”
    â€œDo you know anything about rosebushes?”
    â€œQuite a bit. Why?”
    â€œLike I mentioned earlier, the woman who lived here had a rose garden in back. It’s a scraggly mess now, but she clearly used to love it and care for it.”
    â€œI’d planned to trim and weed around it.”
    That wasn’t exactly what she meant. “I’m not sure how much work the Davilas want you to do, but I’d be happy to pay you extra to get those bushes healthy once more. It just seems that…” What? she asked herself. That she somehow owed it to Ellie Rucker to put things back to rights? “…well, let’s just say I’d like to see the roses bloom the way they should.”
    â€œYou got it,” Eddie said as they returned to the front yard, where Brandon and Callie waited. “I’ll get some numbers to the Davilas, and we’ll take it from there.”
    Amy nodded as Eddie headed toward his pickup.
    When she returned her attention to Brandon, she said, “Why don’t I give you a call on your cell? I think it’s better if we talk privately about this.”
    â€œI don’t like not knowing what you’re up to,” Brandon said as he placed a hand on Callie’s shoulder.
    â€œI’m not ‘up to’ anything. There’s a perfectly good explanation.” Well, he might not consider it a good one. But Amy wasn’t moving to Fairbrook. And she wasn’t dating anyone.
    â€œAren’t you going with us?” Callie asked.
    â€œNot today, honey. I’m afraid I can’t. But have fun.”
    â€œShould I bring her back here?” Brandon asked.
    â€œNo.” Amy would have to figure out a Plan B, whatever that might be. “Tell me what time you’ll have her home, and I’ll be there.”
    â€œHow about two?” he asked.
    She nodded, thinking she’d better get busy if she wanted to get any work—or any snooping—done.
    Â 
    Brandon drove his black late-model Mercedes through the traffic on his way to Chuck E. Cheese’s, a place he’d only been to once and hadn’t appreciated as much as everyone else seemed to. He preferred to eat at restaurants that didn’t cater to kids.
    As he stopped at the intersection of Canyon and