BooksBarbecue
Back Mobbed
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

The “President” of Cleo’s fan club sank into one of Edna’s chairs. He was wearing the same ill-fitting shirt he had on at Edna’s. “I knew I shouldn’t have gotten involved in this. I’ll cooperate! Please! All I did was show up at the sales and buy what they’d told me to buy with the cash they gave me. Is that such a crime? Jody and Jillian are the guilty ones. They underprice everything at their sales and then resell them for a profit.”

Regan shook her head in disgust, and pointed her finger at Scott. “You are a complete lowlife. Why did you have to string my friend Hayley along? You got engaged to Jillian last night and then made a date with Hayley for Saturday!”

“Engaged?” Jody screamed. “What are you talking about?”

“My husband and I followed Scott to a restaurant last night. He proposed to Jillian. Her ring was in a fortune cookie. It was so romantic.”

“What?” Jody glared at Scott and Jillian. “Are you two double-crossing me?”

Now Regan was confused. “Double-crossing you?”

“Scott and Jillian aren’t engaged!” Mr. President explained. “They’re cousins! Cheating people at garage sales is their family business. Who knows what else? They’re a little mob! These people are all related.”

“Not engaged?” Regan asked.

“I hope not!” Jody spat. “Their grandmother and grandfather were brother and sister. I can tell they left me out of something. And I’ll find out what it is!”

So will I, Regan thought. She pointed to Stix. “What is your part in this?”

Mr. President answered. “Stix was married to their greataunt. He and Scott like to gamble together. He gave them the lead on the garage sale today.”

The police car arrived, its red light slicing through the darkness. Two officers hurried up the driveway.

Regan’s cell phone rang. Quickly she answered.

“Regan, it’s Judson the landscaper.”

“Yes, Judson.”

“I wanted to tell you something about Cleo but I thought it might seem stupid.”

“It’s only stupid if you don’t tell me.”

“Okay, then. Cleo was reading a book by the pool. I asked her if she liked it. She said she loved it.”

“Right,” Regan said.

“Well, it was about a pioneer family who lived in a log cabin. Cleo said she envied their simple lifestyle. I don’t know. I’m sorry, but—”

“Judson, don’t be sorry. I’ll call you back later.” Regan tapped Jack’s arm. “Jack, let’s go.”

“Now?”

“Yes. I have another hunch. But this one’s more important. I have an idea of where we might find Cleo.” She turned and started running down the muddy driveway.

75

The hours Cleo and Dirk spent together passed quickly. After lunch, they’d watched an old movie and several episodes of Bonanza. For dinner, she’d heated up frozen pizza and they’d opened a bottle of wine.