Murder of a Creped Suzette srm-14
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“But . . . but . . .” Dante sputtered. “We agreed that would go for a new combine.”
“I never agreed.” Olive held her ground. “In recent days I’ve realized that although life isn’t always tied with a bow, it’s still always a gift.”
“But you’re my wife,” Dante protested. “You promised to love, honor, and obey.”
“Well, from now on all you’re getting is two out of three.” Olive’s gaze was unbending and rebellious. “Take it or leave it.”
At Dante’s look of astounded disbelief, Skye buried her head in Wally’s shoulders and shook with laughter. When she glanced up, her uncle was gone. She switched her gaze to Olive, who seemed unfazed by her husband’s departure. She was flitting from group to group, talking excitedly.
People stayed for hours, drinking, eating, and socializing, and when Skye whispered to Wally that she needed to find the bathroom, no one else seemed to notice. However, when she emerged from the ladies’ room, Simon was waiting for her in the tiny hallway.
“Hi.” He pushed off from the wall he’d been leaning against. “Got a minute?”
“Of course,” Skye answered cautiously. He’d made no more outrageous attempts to win her back, but she still wasn’t sure that Simon had accepted the fact that she was marrying Wally.
“I just spoke to Jess Larson and he’s allergic to his sister’s dog, so if it’s okay with you, I’d like to adopt Toby.”
“That would be wonderful.” Skye would miss the little white pup, but it would be better for all concerned if Simon took him. “I’m just not home enough to care for him. When I drop him off tomorrow morning, I’ll bring all his things with me.”
“Good.” Simon started to walk away, but turned and said, “I wish we were adopting Toby together. I still miss you every day, Skye. There are times I’m sorry we ever met.”
“Please, don’t be.” Skye swallowed a lump in her throat. “I can’t remember who said it, but I think it’s true that we should never cry because something is over. Instead we should smile because it happened.”
As Skye and Wally drove home later that night, she told him about Simon adopting the dog; then she said, “You never did tell me why you were so against my keeping Toby.”
Wally didn’t answer right away. Eventually he said, “When I was thirteen, I begged my dad for a dog and he bought me a collie I named Rags.”
“Oh?” Skye was afraid of where this was going.
“The next year I made the high school football team and I had to spend a lot of time practicing and doing homework. Dad told me I was neglecting Rags, but I didn’t listen. One day I came home and Rags was gone. I thought he’d run away, but my dad had given him to one of his employees’ sons. He said a dog had the right to an owner who spent time and attention on him.”
“I see.” Skye wanted to hate Wally’s father for taking away his dog, but it was hard to fault the man for making sure that an animal he was responsible for was treated well. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Me, too.” Wally crossed his arms. “But it was a lesson well learned.”
They sat silently for a few minutes; then Skye said, “I still feel so bad for Suzette. I can’t get her out of my mind. She never got to know what really happened to her mother or to meet her brother or to be a star.”
“That’s the worse thing about murder,” Wally agreed. “The victims never get a chance to reach their full potential.”
“Exactly.” Skye chewed her lip.
“Suzette did get to sing at the concert.” Wally stroked Skye’s cheek.
“That’s true.” Skye brightened. “So many people go to their graves with the music still inside them. At least Suzette got to let hers out.”
Also coming from
DENISE SWANSON
The first book in the all-new
Devereaux Dime Store Mystery series,
LITTLE SHOP OF HOMICIDE
When Devereaux Sinclair bought the adorable five-and-dime shop in her small Missouri hometown, she never thought she would become the prime suspect in a murder investigation involving her ex-boyfriend’s fiancée.
Now Dev must find the real killer with the help of her friends and a hunky Deputy U.S. Marshall—before she ends up behind bars.
Available in March 2012 from Obsidian.
To find out more about the Devereaux Dime
Store Mystery series, please e-mail
Denise Swanson at ScumbleRiver@aol.com.
FB2 document info
Document ID: d11ab6db-2831-474e-bc55-fd8c00653908
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 17.6.2012
Created using: calibre 0.8.56, FictionBook Editor Release 2.6.6 software
Document authors :
Denise Swanson
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