Weeding Out Trouble by Heather Webber Page A

on Thanksgiving. Like the turkey not being fully defrosted. The potatoes having lots of black spots, the rolls being burned, the gravy lumpy.
    The clink was looking up, in my opinion.
    And I was rambling to myself—clearly a sign that I was stressed out.
    I took a deep breath and decided to let things be. If I wanted to be free to track down the people in Daisy's life, then I needed to be rid of Lewy and Joe.
    Hopefully, they wouldn't find out.
    "I don't suppose you want to come in?" I asked Perry as he pulled to the curb in front of my house.
    "As much as I want to meet the ex, I promised Mario I'd be home in time for dinner. He gets cranky when I'm late."
    I leaned across the console, kissed his cheek. "Thanks for driving . . . and everything."
    "Same time tomorrow?" he asked. We already had plans to track down Kent Ingless.
    "Make it an hour earlier. I really need to do some grocery shopping tomorrow afternoon."
    I hopped out of the car. There was no sign of Lewy and Joe, and I had to wonder if they had really gone to Indiana.
    Part of me hoped they had, and part of me hoped they were smarter than to fall for a trick like that.
    Because if they were smarter, then maybe they'd be able to find out who actually killed Daisy.
    I opted to go in the back door through the laundry room so I wouldn't have to face Kevin right off the bat. Sometime during the day, someone—I assumed it was my mother— had moved the wash into the dryer. I unlaced my boots, set them on the mat to dry. I tiptoed out of the back hall and peeked into the kitchen.
    All clear.
    I was headed through the kitchen to the stairs and the safety of my bedroom when I heard Kevin's voice. He was on the phone.
    "Don't worry," he was saying. He sat on the couch. There was a college football game on the TV screen, but the sound was down to a bare whisper. "I'm handling it. No, she doesn't. Not a clue."
    I crept to the doorway, my curiosity piqued. Who was the she in question? Me? And what was he handling?
    Kevin flipped the channel to another football game. "You don't have to worry, Ginger. It's not going to happen . . . Because I know." His voice rose in frustration. "Because I do."
    Ginger. Ah. But what were they bickering about?
    Kevin shifted on the couch. His voice grew tight, controlled. "There's no need for you to worry. I'm just staying here." He paused, listening. "No, it doesn't. She has her own life. Besides, she doesn't want me, remember?"
    My heart thudded to a stop. Ginger was worried about Kevin and me? That was rich.
    He let out a heavy breath. "We've been through this. Nina and I are over." He pushed a hand through his hair, sending dark spikes shooting upward. "You've got nothing to be jealous about." He scoffed. "Nice. Thanks for throwing that in my face."
    I'd have given just about anything to hear her half of the conversation.
    "I'm done," he said. "If you're so worried, come back. It's got to be better than sitting in the airport, waiting for the runways to open." He listened, then straightened. "Fine, it's probably better that way."
    He pressed the End button on the phone and dropped it onto the couch. Fingering the remote, he turned off the TV and dropped his head back, groaning.
    I couldn't let him see me standing here; that would be too awkward for words.
    Slowly, I crept back, toward the back hall. The floor creaked. I froze as Kevin's head snapped up. As if in slow motion, he turned and looked my way.
    Our eyes locked.
    I could see torment in his, and I wasn't sure what he might be seeing in mine. Panic, guilt, remorse. Any number of things.
    Before either of us could say a word, the doorbell rang. I sprinted over and pulled it open before the buzzer even finished sounding.
    Lewy and Joe stood on the front porch. I was actually happy to see them. "Come in, come in," I urged. "Sit down. Would you like some coffee? Water? Tea? Cocoa. Let me take your coats."
    Their eyes narrowed as I tugged at their boring beige trenches. Lewy looked between