BooksBarbecue
Back Mobbed Save as PDF
Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

“Thank you,” Rhonda said as they all clinked glasses. She took a sip of her wine, then yawned. “I’m a little tired because I was up really late last night celebrating with my friends. It was so much fun. Everyone in the restaurant was congratulating me, even customers I had never met before. It’s funny how friendly strangers become in certain situations. They let their guard down. It reminded me of when people smile and make faces at somebody’s baby in an elevator.”

“A friend of mine meets more girls when he goes to the park with his dog than when he goes to bars,” Striker said.

Harriet grinned. “That guy is too much. His poor dog is exhausted. Did you ever meet a dog that didn’t want to go for a walk?”

They all laughed.

“You guys are great,” Rhonda said. “Forget the garage sale. But it’s funny. Frankie just called before. His mother is having a garage sale today, too.”

“Frankie grew up around here, right?” Striker asked quickly.

“Yes, in Bay Head.”

“Does his mother still live there?”

“Yes.”

“Did Cleo Paradise rent her house recently?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“How did I know?” Striker asked, his expression astonished. “The company we hired was in charge of that sale as well!”

“The same company?” Rhonda asked, her eyes widening.

“Yes! And your fiance’s mother took out an ad in the paper and hired a plane to fly over the beach with one of those banners.”

Rhonda’s jaw dropped. “I never looked at the newspaper today …”

“Well, I hope Frankie didn’t have any baseball cards he wanted to save,” Striker said. “Because with that lousy company in charge, you can be sure they’re long gone.”

69

Regan and Jack had been waiting in the car for over an hour, and there was no sign of Dizzy or his family. If the woman from the management company had sent Dizzy Regan’s message, he’d obviously ignored it.

Finally Daisy called back. “I just got free,” she said breathlessly. “Regan, do you have any news?”

“Cleo’s parents called from Europe. They couldn’t get in touch with her today, either, and are on their way back.”

“Oh no,” Daisy said softly. “This is not good.”

“I have to ask you about Cleo’s super,” Regan said, then explained where she was. “I’m surprised he’s here at the Jersey Shore.”

“Ever since Cleo met Dizzy he talked about the Jersey Shore and how much he loved it. That’s why Cleo decided to rent a house there.”

“Was he angry with her about the movie?”