Harbor Street (Cedar Cove #5)(76)

Peggy bit her lip. “I still find it hard to believe that Hannah could murder her parents.”

Roy didn’t respond, and Corrie knew why. Her husband was the one who’d long suspected the girl’s involvement in the murder. The only reason Hannah had come to Cedar Cove was to keep track of the investigation. Meanwhile, she’d fooled people by acting timid and vulnerable, a little girl lost.

“Max’s death wasn’t the only mystery in this town,” Bob commented, sipping his soda. “As I recall, the last time we were at dinner here, someone left a package at your front door.”

Peggy brought her hand to her throat. “You frightened us because you thought that fruit basket might contain a bomb or something.”

Roy’s smile was forced. “I remember.”

“Did you ever find out who was responsible?”

Corrie looked at her husband.

“Not yet,” was all Roy would say.

“I hope this wasn’t confidential, but Corrie told Peggy you’d been receiving anonymous postcards,” Bob said. “Don’t tell me that’s still going on?”

“The most recent one arrived on Valentine’s Day,” Corrie answered when it seemed that Roy wouldn’t. The subject made them both uncomfortable. The card had actually been a valentine and the message inside had read: ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE BLUE, I KNOW WHO I AM—DON’T YOU?

Bob frowned and shook his head. “Don’t you have a clue who’s doing this?”

Roy nodded. “We have an idea.”

Just then the oven timer buzzed. The timing couldn’t have been better as far as Corrie was concerned. “I believe that’s our cue to move into the dining room.”

The evening was enjoyable and they lingered over drinks until Bob suggested cards. Roy set up the card table while Corrie got out the deck. They played pinochle, the women against the men. After the first game they paused for coffee and dessert, and Corrie promised to write out the coconut cake recipe for Peggy. They were just finishing when Linnette arrived.

Their daughter seemed surprised that her parents had guests. “Oh, sorry,” she mumbled. “Hi, Peggy, Bob. I didn’t realize Mom and Dad had company.”

Corrie immediately knew that something had upset her. “Should I call you later?” she asked.

“No need,” Peggy said, reading the situation perfectly. She carried her empty cake plate and cup to the kitchen. “It’s time Bob and I went home.”

“It is?” Bob glanced longingly at the card table.

“Yes,” Peggy said pointedly. “It is.”

Corrie had to smile. The men were finding it difficult to end the evening with the women having won the first round. They’d soundly beaten her and Peggy last time, so she considered this poetic justice.

Roy and Corrie walked their guests to the front door while Linnette helped herself to a slice of cake. Whatever was troubling her must be serious if her diet-conscious daughter had resorted to cake.

After heartfelt farewells, Corrie returned to the kitchen.

Roy faked a yawn. “I’ll go up to bed and leave you women to talk.”

“No, Dad, this involves you, too.” Linnette gestured with her fork to the empty chairs across from her.

Roy pulled one of them out and stretched his long legs. “What’s up?”

“Gloria Ashton.”

Roy turned to his wife. “Who’s she?”

“Linnette’s neighbor,” Corrie reminded him.

“And friend,” her daughter added. “A good friend, too.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Roy asked, his voice impatient. He was a lot more accommodating with his clients than his children, Corrie thought, and she resisted the urge to kick him under the table.

“Does it have to do with Chad?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah, the doctor fellow,” Roy muttered.

Linnette lowered her head and nodded. “He asked me to have coffee with him after work a week ago, and I agreed.” She frowned and then shrugged her shoulders. “Basically, he wanted to tell me he’s dating Gloria.”

“Your neighbor,” Roy put in, although by this point, he knew darn well who Gloria was. “Why should he have to ask your permission? It’s none of your business.”

“Which is exactly what I told him.”

Now Corrie was getting confused. “I must’ve missed something here. Last I heard, you’d decided pining after Chad was a waste of time.”

“Big waste,” Linnette concurred. “I told Chad if he wanted my permission to date Gloria, he had it. I felt that his asking me was junior-high stuff. Then Chad explained that Gloria’s refused to go out with him because she and I are friends.”

It sounded like the kind of thing that happened in high school, all right. “Why would she do that?” Roy demanded.

“I don’t know. I tried to talk to her,” Linnette said, “but she wouldn’t listen. She said men are a dime a dozen.” Their daughter sent her father a tentative glance. “Sorry, Dad.”

“Continue,” Roy urged, waving off her apology.

“Gloria said good friends aren’t that easy to come by, and I agree. I told her it doesn’t matter to me that she’s interested in Chad, but she said she didn’t want to risk losing my friendship over a man.”