BooksBarbecue
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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

“Edna, what’s wrong?” Regan asked quickly, afraid something had happened to Nora.

“They think Wilbur had a heart attack!” Edna sobbed. “He’s in the emergency room in some godforsaken town in western New Jersey. Thank God my number was the last one he’d called from his cell phone. The hospital just called. Can you and Jack drive me out there? Please! Your mother said Jack has a special siren he can put on the car so we can get there as fast as possible. There’s so much traffic …”

“Of course, Edna,” Regan said. “We’re two minutes away.”

“Thank you, Regan. Thank you!”

Jack heard every word. He turned on the siren, stepped on the gas, and raced toward Edna’s house. Nora and Edna were waiting at the curb. They jumped in the backseat.

“Hurry, Jack, please!” Edna wailed. “I’m so angry. Wilbur’s rotten friend Stix dropped him off at a diner in the middle of nowhere to go run an errand. He knew Wilbur wasn’t feeling well. God knows where Stix went! But I’ll tell you this—when I get my hands on him, I’ll wring his neck!”

72

After Judson finished mowing Old Man Appleton’s lawn, the gnarly grump emerged from his house. Hands on hips, he glanced around the yard. “Good job.”

“Thanks,” Judson said, surprised at the compliment.

“My wife and I are having company this weekend. She just said we should have had our patio furniture cleaned. How about if we negotiate a price for you to do the job for us?”

“Sure thing, Mr. Appleton. I have a free window tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow’s too late. I need it done now. Our guests are arriving in the morning.”

Judson was sweaty and tired and wanted to go home and have a beer. He decided he’d call Regan Reilly and tell her about the book Cleo Paradise had been reading. Old Man Appleton was difficult, but Judson didn’t want to lose him as a client. The beer and the phone call would have to wait. “Okay, then, I’ll do it now,” Judson said agreeably.

Appleton cackled. “I thought you’d say yes. Let’s walk over to the garage.”

“The garage?”

“Yes. We’ve got half a dozen extra lounge chairs that need a good scrubbing. I want you to look at them before we decide on a price.”

I’ll never get out of here, Judson thought.

73

Jack had programmed the address of the hospital into the GPS and noted, “It’s ninety-seven miles west.”

“Ninety-seven miles!” Edna moaned.

Nora held Edna’s hands in hers. “Everything will be okay,” she said. “Jack will get us there quickly.”

“Oh, Nora,” Edna said woefully. “I suppose I should call Karen. She was taking a car service from the airport. I’m sure she’s landed by now.”