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

Dizzy pointed at her. “That’s because your relatives are driving me crazy. I needed some space! I wanted to eat my ice cream cone in peace. Can’t you see how stressed out I am? Can’t you?”

“You haven’t been yourself this whole month. It’s not fair to me. My relatives are good people. Good people, Dizzy. We see your nutty family in Los Angeles all the time.”

“We see my family, but we don’t live under the same roof with them. If your cousin knocks on the door one more time when I’m taking a shower …”

“I told you to take shorter showers. Every day we run out of hot water thanks to you.”

Dizzy put his hands to his head. I can’t take this anymore, he thought. This is all thanks to Cleo Paradise. “Maybe I’ll just get out of your way,” he said. “I won’t use up any more of your family’s hot water!” He turned on his heel and stormed back toward their spot.

The umbrella had fallen over.

Dizzy barely noticed. He grabbed his shoes and his shirt and kept going.

37

Hey, man, take it easy,” the bulky security guard advised the two men at Edna’s front gate. “Don’t get excited …”

Regan approached them. Cleo’s agent? she wondered. He hardly looks like the type who represents an Academy Award-nominated actress, with that ratty jacket and his scruffy hair. And that other guy doesn’t look as if he’d be part of Cleo’s world. “Did I hear you say you’re Cleo Paradise’s agent?” Regan asked.

The older man turned to her, his face indignant. “Yes, I am,” he answered, throwing back his shoulders and straightening up. “My name is Ronald Flake, founder and president of the Flake Agency. Cleo Paradise would be nowhere without me.”

“Got that right,” his companion muttered. “No-where.”

“This is my son, Horace,” Ronald explained. “He accompanies me on all important business. Cleo hasn’t returned my calls. She isn’t hiding here, is she?”

Regan shook her head. “No.”

“Are you the owner of the house?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Is the owner here? I have some questions for her.”

And I have some questions for you, Regan thought. “Mrs. Frawley is around back,” she informed them, introducing herself, but not mentioning her profession. “My mother is a friend of the family and is back there with her. Follow me.”

“Very well,” Ronald said, trying to sound like a visiting dignitary.

No one seemed to notice the hubbub surrounding the Flakes arrival. Zealous shoppers were too busy inspecting all the paraphernalia that was spread out on the lawn.

Ronald and Horace walked through the gate, nodding to the security guard, and started to follow Regan toward the side of the house.

“Dad, wait!” Horace ordered.

“What?” Ronald asked impatiently as he and Regan both stopped in their tracks.