Ghostly Worries (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 4)
Page 20
“Did the dentist admit to everything?”
“He did, but he’s not taking any of the blame onto himself,” Jared replied. “He seems to think Rosie is to blame for everything because she went out of her way to seduce him.”
Zander made an incredulous face. “Yes, Rosie is the one that stuck his … .”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” Harper warned, extending a finger. “Did he say why he dumped the body under the restaurant?”
“He said he thought the water reached up that far during the night and since a storm was expected around that time he thought she would be drawn out to the lake,” Jared explained. “He knew the restaurant wasn’t opening for another two days so he thought he had time. He drove Rosie’s car to the parking lot, dragged her under the deck, and then ditched the car at the deli. He also solved the mystery of the women’s club at the ice cream shop. They met one Thursday of the month, not every Thursday. She met her friends there last week, and that’s why he thought everyone would look in that area when he reported her missing. He didn’t count on anyone discovering her body.”
“I wonder what his wife is going to say about all of this,” Harper mused. “He killed Rosie to keep her from finding out and now he’s going to prison for murder and everyone is going to find out.”
“Cecelia admitted she had a feeling about the affair and that’s why she disliked Rosie so much,” Jared supplied. “It seems she had a crush on the good doctor herself but didn’t think he was an option because they were both married.
“When Kennedy started sleeping with Rosie he gave her preferential treatment – including the most desirable shifts – and Cecelia mistakenly thought it was because of the sex and didn’t understand about the blackmail,” he continued. “She’s understandably upset.”
“Yeah, we heard her,” Zander said dryly. “She’s already got an interview lined up for a new job … at my dentist’s office. If that woman thinks she’s going to drill me she’s got another thing coming. Get back in the clown car, crazy!”
“Take it down a notch,” Jared said, absentmindedly slipping his arm over Harper’s shoulders as he stared Zander down. “You’re going to draw unnecessary attention to yourself.”
“That’s the way he likes to live his life,” Harper said. “What about Rosie’s body?”
“It’s being cremated and the ashes are being sent to her mother in Arizona.”
“I can’t believe her mother couldn’t even be bothered to come out here and pick her up,” Harper said. “My mother and I fight like cats and dogs and yet she wouldn’t leave me alone. Not for something like that.”
Jared pressed a soft kiss to Harper’s temple as he considered how to respond. “I think maybe Rosie got her outlook on life from her mother,” he said finally. “I pulled the mother’s record out of curiosity because I knew you were bothered and she’s been through five husbands – each one richer than the previous sap.”
“Well, that explains that,” Harper muttered, turning her head so she could rest her cheek against Jared’s shoulder. “Are you still angry with me?”
“Yes.”
“How long do you think it will last?”
Jared shook his head as he fought the urge to smile. “Not long.”
“Good,” Harper said, brightening. “I was thinking that after dinner we could get some ice cream and have a walk on the beach.”
“Yes, definitely ice cream,” Zander enthused.
“You just spent the entire night throwing up because of ice cream,” Jared reminded her.
“That’s because I ate four servings,” Harper said. “Tonight I’m only going to have one. Er, maybe two.”
“You’re not having any,” Jared countered. “I think that should be your punishment. I’m going to get my own hot fudge sundae and eat it in front of you.”
Harper’s pout bordered on adorable. “You’re not even going to give me a bite?”
“You can share my sundae with me,” Jason offered, earning an ear flick from Jared. “It was a platonic offer, man. Chill out.”
“You can have one bite of my ice cream,” Jared conceded. “You have to eat all of your dinner first, though.”
“And then the walk?”
“And then the walk,” Jared confirmed. “I might even twirl you around the beach once or twice since we had such a limited dancing opportunity the other night.”
“Yay!” Harper clapped her hands and hopped up and down.
“That’s so gross,” Zander muttered. “You two are going to dance on the beach and I’m going to be stuck eating ice cream with the thunder stealer. How is that fair?”
“I’ll spring for extra sprinkles if you stop calling me that,” Jason offered.
Zander tilted his head to the side, considering. “Deal, but I want a really big cone.”
“Done.” Jason extended his hand as Zander warily eyed it. Finally, Zander gripped the hand and gave it a good pump.
“And all is right with the world,” Jared said, grabbing Harper around the waist and spinning her before planting a kiss on her lips. “You’re still getting a lecture. I don’t care how cute you think you are.”
“I can live with that,” Harper said. “Ice cream, dinner, dancing … a lecture will fit right in.”
“And all is strange in this world,” Jason said, shaking his head. “I think I’m going to like it here, though.”
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Acknowledgments
I’m a romantic at heart. A true romantic. I love the idea of a happy ending, so much so I have trouble writing a sad one. The world is sad enough. I like escaping in fiction. That’s just me. I like sarcasm and snark – but I’m not sure a sad ending is in me. If you’re looking for an edge like that, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. Just FYI.
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Deadly Addition
Deadly Vacation
Deadly Secrets
Deadly Storm
Deadly Dealings
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Deadly Arrival
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Grave Insight
Grave Delight
Grave Misgivings
Grave Concerns
Grave Discovery
Grave Decisions
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Wicked Times
Wicked Places
Wicked Warning
A Harper Harlow Mystery
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Ghostly Issues
Ghostly Deceits