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

Jody shrugged. “If this gentleman would be willing to—”

“No! I’m president of Cleo’s fan club. This is all mine.”

“But we were waiting in line for hours …”

“Oh, all right, I’ll be nice. You can have one of them. Make your choice. Hurry up.”

Regan had gone over to stand with Edna and Nora. For once, Edna was speechless.

The woman in the living room started throwing Cleo’s former belongings into a clear plastic bag. “I’m not stealing anything,” she yelled, almost to herself.

Are these two together? Regan wondered. They must be. She didn’t have to wait long for an answer.

“Will you be buying anything else?” Jody asked the man, who was wiping his brow. “Or should I add this all up for you?”

“That’s my wife in the other room. She’s the vice president of Cleo’s fan club. We’re together. Honey!” he shouted. “In here! We’ll pay this lady and hit the road.”

What a pair, Regan thought. They must plan to resell this stuff on the Internet. They scooped up everything belonging to Cleo. Except the trunk I’m buying. I guess I should join the fan club.

“Oh my,” Edna murmured. “I never expected something like this would happen. Where are people’s manners?”

Outside, word spread quickly that there was nothing left of Cleo’s.

It started an uproar.

“After waiting this long!” some of Edna’s garage sale guests shouted in disgust as they stomped away. “What a rip-off!”

A teenaged girl started crying. “I want to be an actress. I wanted something of Cleo’s to inspire me!”

At least half the people in line left. Edna became distraught when she glanced through the window and saw the crowd disappearing. Like a shot she ran out the front door. “Come back, everyone! We have so many other lovely things that are still not sold … including signed copies of Nora Regan Reilly’s books!”

Nora covered her ears.

25

Hayley and Laurinda were in the middle of their meal. Laurinda was eating her hamburger with gusto, but Hayley just picked at her salad. She didn’t have much of an appetite. First she’d been reeling from Regan’s news, then Scott’s call really threw her for a loop. But she had to focus on the business at hand.

The restaurant was busy enough, but it was August, which for a place like Redman’s meant fewer regulars. Most people in show business were out of town, many in the Hamptons. In September the crowds would be back and the place would be buzzing again.

Hayley was doing her best to be upbeat. “I was thinking that what we might do at your party was—”

Laurinda put her hand on Hayley’s arm. “Just a minute,” she said as she looked toward the entrance of the restaurant.

Hayley started to turn her head.