In a Book Club Far Away(75)

“Yes. Command thought that it would be better to get rid of the so-called problem, which was us, I guess.”

Regina’s insides trembled slightly, like a fault on the verge of cracking wide open. Her husband referring to himself and someone else as “us” was a slap in the face. But she shook the sense back into herself.

She believed him—there was nothing going on—and her anger was misplaced. “Will you tell me who accused you of having an affair?”

“I… I don’t know for sure, but I’ve been told by others that it might be…” He looked out the window.

“Who, Logan?”

“It’s someone we know. Personally.”

No. No. It couldn’t be. No one they knew would do this. And if so, why wouldn’t they have told her first?

“But that’s not what’s important,” he warned. “Everything is on the line. I… we… have to hold out. We’re supposed to move, remember? Who cares about all of these rumors when we’ll be out of here soon enough? I wanna keep lying low. Promise me that you’ll do the same. Let me handle this.”

Regina nodded, but did not promise, because she intended to get to the bottom of this.





CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Adelaide




“I feel like I’m missing an arm.” With Regina on her mind, Adelaide peeked over the top of the food truck’s counter to watch the mini doughnuts cook. She was riveted as she tracked the dough being piped into the hot oil, forming into a circle, and then moving on down the conveyer belt. The entire process took about a minute and fifty-six seconds—she had timed it while the customers in front of her ordered theirs—and Adelaide knew that her pregnant friend would have appreciated this little but mighty machine. “Regina would get a kick out of watching these doughnuts being made.”

Sophie unwrapped her turkey leg from its foil. “It was inevitable. She and Logan are having a baby, and they have a lot to catch up on this week. Though she did say that they were coming. I bet they’re around here somewhere.” She spun around and peered out into the crowd. “Do you know where Jasper and the girls went?”

Adelaide took a requisite look. “Nope, I don’t see them. But maybe Jasper found them already? Maybe I should order extra doughnuts.”

They were at the Millersville May Festival and what seemed like the entire community had congregated in the town square. The sun was just about to set, and the festival signage and rides lit up the sky. The sounds of carnival games and roller coasters were like white noise, punctuated by the occasional screams of riders. With the sudden shift in weather to hint that summer was around the corner, it was a perfect night, and Adelaide was relishing it.

It also helped that Matt’s return date had been solidified. The last of the unit was coming home in a week. Just one more week and she would see her husband, finally. She was counting the days until her best friend would be home, her lover would be back in her bed, and they would hopefully start their family.

Thank God.

“I’ll have a dozen, please,” Adelaide ordered, then turned to Sophie. “Have you been hearing…” Adelaide hedged on the question that she knew she shouldn’t ask. Matt had been terribly secretive, but sure enough, there had been some grumblings among the returned. She took another stab at the topic. “The other day, at a spouse luncheon, I overheard a group of ladies talking.”

“Oh?” Sophie’s face was unreadable.

The spouse’s club on post held a luncheon every month that was an opportunity to socialize while learning about a local business or charity. “They alluded to the fact that Logan was in the advance party because he couldn’t keep his nose clean downrange.”

“Mmm.” Sophie noshed on her turkey leg, which she was obviously using as a distraction.

Adelaide, feeling closer to the answer, decided to tackle the question from a third angle. “Did Jasper say how they chose who would come home on the advance party?”

Sophie side-eyed Adelaide, glancing a moment at their surroundings. Her voice plummeted to a whisper. “You know we can’t be talking about this.”

“Why not? It’s just you and me.” It sounded like the truth was at the tip of her friend’s tongue. “Regina’s been curt on text.”

“When is she ever not curt?”

“You know what I mean. She’s been unreachable. I understand she needs space. But after all the time we spent together, and add in the rumors…”

Her doughnuts made it to the end of the line, and they fell into a strainer. The food truck worker picked them up with tongs, dredged them with powdered sugar, and threw them into a paper sack. Adelaide began to drool when the sack was handed to her, warm to the touch.

“So you’re saying you’ve heard the rumors?” Sophie asked.

“Haven’t you?” Adelaide pried, feeling like she was pawing her way to the truth.

“You know as well as I do that rumors are bad news and many times aren’t even true.”

Adelaide peered at Sophie, master of the poker face. “You’re being so vague.”

“Because the situation is vague. For what it’s worth, I’ve probably heard the same things you have. But none of us really know what’s happened. The fact that Regina hasn’t come to us directly means that all the rumors are just that—rumors,” Sophie said. “Let’s go find our people.”