Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates (distant reading .txt) 📗

sign. He did not look happy. “The dog won’t be here for long,” I said. “Try to play nicely.”

Charles hissed.

I slowly opened the door. Charles shot in and headed straight for the kitchen, where he sniffed disapprovingly at the bowl of water I’d put down for Fluffy. Fluffy herself was nowhere to be seen. I decided to feed Charles before looking for the dog and did so.

While Charles dined, I searched. It didn’t take long, and it wasn’t hard to find her. I simply followed the sound of whining and peeked under the bed. “You can come out,” I said. “It’s safe. I hope.”

Fluffy’s little black nose appeared, followed by the rest of her. She kept her eyes fixed firmly on Charles. Charles appeared content to eat and pointedly ignored the dog. Hoping for the best, I opened a can of dog food, dropped a couple of spoonfuls into a bowl, added some dry food, and stirred it all together. I hadn’t read Evangeline’s feeding instructions, and I hoped the little creature wouldn’t die before I got around to doing that. I put the bowl on the floor.

Fluffy edged closer, keeping one eye on Charles. Then, not sensing an imminent attack, she rushed for the bowl and dove in. Charles finished his own meal and, completely ignoring the newcomer, strolled across the apartment, leapt onto the window seat, settled himself comfortably, and began washing his whiskers.

I let out a sigh of relief. Peace in the home.

I woke with Charles curled against my back, snoring lightly. A snuffling sound came from the floor, and I leaned over to see Fluffy’s intense black eyes staring up at me. The peace had continued, and as far as I was aware, no raging battles had broken out overnight.

Wednesday was my day off. I would like to have viewed houses, but Connor was in meetings all day. I lay in bed, contemplating what to do with my day. Maybe I’d call Mom and suggest lunch and shopping. For me, shopping isn’t a recreational activity, but it is for my mom. Perhaps Aunt Ellen and Josie could join us and we’d have a true mother-daughter outing. That would be fun.

First things first. I got out of bed and threw on a pair of yoga pants, a T-shirt, and a light sweater. Dog duties needed to be done. I found Fluffy’s leash and clipped it onto her collar, and we headed out. Charles, who usually ran ahead of me, eager to get to work, stayed where he was.

We were up early, and when I’d peered out the window to check the weather, the giant orange ball of the sun had been making its first appearance above the watery horizon.

The library was quiet, but I didn’t have time to admire it, as Fluffy was in a rush to get outside. Who knew a creature so small could exert such a powerful pull? She galloped down the stairs in a flurry of white fur, and I scrambled to keep up, trying to keep from being yanked off my feet as we hurtled across the floor of the main room, out the door, and down the steps.

With an almost human sigh of relief, Fluffy settled herself on the grass.

The area surrounding the lighthouse was so beautiful in the soft orange light of the rising sun, and so quiet. I’d miss living here. I’d miss mornings like this one. I pushed aside a brief pang of regret. Yes, I’d miss my Lighthouse Aerie, but it was time to move on. I had no regrets or doubts about choosing to have a life with Connor.

“Come on, Fluffy,” I called. “I need coffee, and when I’ve had breakfast and am suitably dressed, we’ll come back for a nice long walk. You’ll like it out here in the wild spaces.” I wasn’t so sure about that last comment; Fluffy looked like a city dog to me, more comfortable with her little feet on asphalt than on the spongy grass, used to running away from bigger dogs, not Canada geese.

I’d stuffed my phone into my sweater pocket, and it rang. I pulled it out and felt a jolt of panic when I recognized my mother’s number. It was way too early for her to be calling to make plans for the day. “ ’Morning, Mom. Is everything okay?”

“No, it is not. Evangeline called and asked me to come to the hotel. The police informed her they will be paying her a visit at eight o’clock this morning. They have further questions for her. She wants my support, and I want yours.”

“Can’t you ask Uncle Amos?”

“I did, but he’s due in court first thing this morning. Most inconvenient. I’ll meet you at the Ocean Side. I’ve borrowed Ellen’s car, and I’m leaving now.” She hung up, giving me no opportunity to protest.

What was it Sherlock Holmes said to Doctor Watson? “Come at once if convenient. Come at once if not convenient.”

It was not convenient for me. Oh well, I had been thinking it would be nice to have a mother-daughter bonding day.

Some mothers and daughters do bonding differently than others.

I took Fluffy upstairs, fed her and Charles, and jumped into the shower. When I came out, I was surprised to see the cat and the dog both sitting on the window seat. They weren’t exactly curled up together, but neither were they engaged in a fight to the death for possession of prime napping space.

I dressed quickly in capri-length jeans and a T-shirt, not much bothering about what I wore. This wasn’t a social occasion. I told Fluffy I’d be home soon, I hoped, and we’d go for that walk. “Let’s go, Charles,” I said.

Charles eyed me from the comfort of the window seat.

I opened the door. “Time to go to work.”

Charles stretched mightily and yawned.

“Charles, you’re the library cat. Your contract allowing you to live in the Lighthouse Aerie and consume all the food you can eat says you have to put in six days