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 yelped again, this time with relief. Regan and Nora followed her into a curtained-off area where Wilbur was sitting up in bed, an oxygen tube in his nose. “Wilbur,” Edna cried. Tenderly she kissed his forehead. “How are you?”

Wilbur attempted to smile. “I’ve been better. But they say it wasn’t a heart attack—I think it was too much time in a hot, smoky casino. At my age, I should know better.”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

“Edna,” Nora said quietly, “we’ll give you some privacy.”

“No! Let me introduce you. Wilbur, these are my new friends Nora and Regan Reilly. They’re better friends than that louse Stix. Where is he?”

“He called and said he had a family emergency. Oh look, here he is.”

All heads turned as Stix approached. His shoes were muddy, his expression guilty.

Edna’s nostrils flared. She stepped toward Stix and gave him a shove. “What’s wrong with you?” she demanded.

“What are you talking about?” he whined.

“You leave Wilbur high and dry like that? What kind of errand did you have to do all the way out here?” Edna demanded. “Answer me!”

“I had a family situation,” Stix insisted. “My cousin is really sick and his wife doesn’t want any strangers around. I thought I’d only be gone a few minutes.” Stix started to cry. “My cousin’s sick. Now Wilbur. I feel terrible.”

Crocodile tears, Regan thought.

“Get out of here!” Edna shouted.

Stix looked over at Wilbur for support. But he wasn’t getting any.

“Do what the lady says,” Wilbur said.

Edna shoved Stix again. “Get lost. Be on your way before you end up in one of the other beds in this room!”

Stix grabbed the railing of Wilbur’s bed to prevent himself from falling. The wallet that had been hanging out of his side pocket fell to the ground. A wad of one-hundred-dollar bills spilled out.

“Look at all your money!” Edna cried, as Stix quickly bent over to retrieve it. “Aren’t you rich.”

“You told me you lost all your money today,” Wilbur said, shaking his fist.

Stix turned, and stormed out.

Regan looked at Edna. “Did Stix know Cleo Paradise was renting your house?”

“Everybody knew, right, honey?” Wilbur asked.

Now Edna looked guilty. “Word got around, I suppose.”

“I’ll be right back,” Regan said, making a quick exit. Jack was coming through the emergency room door. “Let’s go,” she said, grabbing his arm.

“Where?”

“The man getting in that car is the one who deserted Wilbur. It’s just a hunch, but I want to follow him. Hurry. We can’t let him get away.”

74

When Stix pulled out of the hospital parking lot, he turned left.

“Good!” Regan said. “If he were heading back to Golden Peaks, he’d turn right.”