The Newcomer (Thunder Point #2)(50)

Lou and Ray Anne weren’t exactly enemies, nor were they actual rivals. Anymore, at least. But they grew up together and had issues that went way back to the old days in Coquille. Ray Anne liked men very much and it didn’t matter to her if they were spoken for or not. In fact, Ray Anne, a cute, sexy little blonde in her younger years, had helped herself to at least a couple of Lou’s boyfriends. Lou had a memory like an elephant; it took a lot to cause her to hold a grudge, but once she achieved it, it was even harder for her to let go.

Ray Anne had relocated to Thunder Point about fifteen years ago, but given that it was so close to Coquille, Lou still saw more of her than she had liked. Then when Lou moved to Thunder Point with Mac and the kids, it seemed as if every time she turned a corner, she ran smack-dab into Ray Anne. Ray Anne might not be the same cute little blonde she once was, but she acted as if she thought she was. Now she had big boobs to add to her charms. Lou had suspected, quite rightly, that a surgical intervention had been necessary to achieve that impressive bustline.

Every time Lou saw Ray Anne, she automatically looked down at herself. Yup, sixty years old and still she looked as if she were wearing a training bra.

Yet, there was that lone bar stool. And Lou wouldn’t take a table in a busy restaurant for just a drink. She took the stool next to Ray Anne.

“If I sit here, can we have one hour of no conversation?” Lou asked Ray Anne.

Ray Anne lifted her glass of wine. “That’s a long time,” she said, lifting one tawny eyebrow. “What’s the matter? Man trouble?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Lou said.

Right then, Cliff came over to Lou and smiled at her.

“Give me a brandy, Cliff. Make it a good one, please,” she said.

“You got it, Lou.”

“Wow. You didn’t lose that hunk of a boyfriend, did you?” Ray Anne asked, referring to Joe.

“Not yet,” Lou said. “But I can give you his phone number and address if you want to make a run at him.”

Ray Anne leaned an elbow on the bar and rested her head on her fist. “You know, the way you pick at me—it gets old. Aren’t you worried you’ll really hurt my feelings?”

“I guess the fact that you call me a lesbian and an old maid wouldn’t be considered picking,” Lou said.

“Yes, but I’m kidding,” Ray Anne said. “And you damn well know it.”

Cliff brought Lou’s brandy and disappeared quickly. Lou and Ray Anne had been prickly toward each other for as long as anyone in Thunder Point could remember. It had never gotten down to hair pulling, but they had such scrappy attitudes no one was ever quite sure it wouldn’t result in that one day.

Lou took a sip of her brandy. “I declare a one-hour truce. This was the only bar stool empty.”

Ray Anne looked at her watch. “One hour it is. What’s got you drinking the hard stuff?”

“This is considered hard? This is a Christmas drink!”

“You’re wigged out about something. You haven’t even criticized my attire.”

Lou gave her a long look. “How high are those heels?” she asked. “Seriously, no criticism intended, but how the hell do you walk in those things?”

“It’s an acquired skill. Practice. Those wedgies of yours would probably give me leg cramps. Why are you out having Christmas drinks alone?”

“Well,” Lou said tiredly. “You’ll hear about it, anyway. Mac’s ex is in town, wanting t0 see the kids. She’s over there right now and it was agreed that I not be present since I might lose it and just kill her.”

“Cee Jay,” Ray Anne said in a breath. She had a rather stricken look on her face, her lacquered lips formed an O and she raised a hand to hover over her mouth.

“Yes, the one and only.” Lou took another sip of her brandy. “God help us all.”

“Oh, holy Jesus, that was her!”

“What are you talking about?” Lou asked.

Ray Anne turned her full attention on Lou, swiveling on her stool to face her. “She contacted me. She said she was looking at property in the area and asked about Thunder Point. She introduced herself as Cecelia Raines. She said the house had to be large and she wanted a view. I showed her the Morrison property that’s in foreclosure, but she had a lot of questions about the town, the people, the deputy! I didn’t put it together until ten seconds ago.”

Lou turned toward her. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. I never met her until a few days ago and I thought she looked familiar. Now that I think about it, Eve looks just like her. Oh, my God, she’s stalking. What does she want?”

Lou shook her head. “She says she wants to see her kids. But why now? She hasn’t been in touch since the day she left and now she comes to town to see Mac? This is very strange. Now, after hearing what you’ve just told me, I think it’s a little scary.”

“She didn’t give me any information about herself—she was a walk-in,” Ray Anne said. “Happens all the time—there aren’t very many agents in a dried-up old town like ours, so I wasn’t suspicious of her when she arrived at the office. Besides, a lot of people have wanted to see the Morrison place, not that anyone actually wants to buy it. But she was sure turned out—looked like a million bucks. She looked as if she had money, that’s why I took her out there. God, I hope I didn’t do any harm to Mac and the kids. Or you, for that matter.”