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

“Please have a seat,” Edna said. “Make yourselves comfortable. Would you like water?” she asked, indicating the pitcher and glasses on a little wicker table in front of her. “It’s such a hot day.”

“No beverage. This is business,” Ronald answered, trying to sound important.

Nora looked at Regan. “If this is private …”

“No!” Edna said. “Stay. Everyone sit down.”

Edna’s protest and the look on Regan’s face froze Nora in place.

Whew, Regan thought as she sat next to Horace, whose short-sleeved nylon shirt was sweat stained under the arms. His moccasins were worn out, his cheap white pants sporting what looked like a fresh coffee stain. No wonder he wanted that cup holder, she thought.

“Where is Cleo Paradise?” Ronald blurted, his tone rude.

Edna’s hospitable expression disappeared in an instant. “How should I know?” she answered haughtily.

“She rented your house, didn’t she?” Horace demanded, as though that were a good enough reason for Edna to keep track of Cleo’s whereabouts.

“Yes, she did, and she left.”

“You say she left to do a movie?” Horace asked accusingly.

“I didn’t say anything,” Edna answered. “Cleo left a note stating she was off to do a movie. That’s all I know.”

Horace stood and stepped toward her. “Listen, lady,” he said, pointing his finger threateningly. “You know and you’re not telling us. Cleo hasn’t answered my father’s calls. She can’t sign a contract for another movie without him! Tell us where she went!”

Regan stood and moved toward him. “Horace, you’d better—”

Horace swung around, bumping into the table. “I’d better what?” he demanded as the pitcher and glasses crashed to the floor.

Edna screamed and lifted up her feet.

“You’d better get out of here!” Regan shouted into his face as the security guard manning the back lawn came running over, quickly followed by the guard from the front gate. They grabbed the Flakes by their necks and, despite the father’s and son’s loud protests, escorted them off the premises.

The three women followed.

“Well,” Edna said breathlessly as she and Regan and Nora watched the Flakes get thrown out the front gate. “At least I got my money’s worth out of those guards. They’re such nice fellows, aren’t they?”

38

In the office at the Log Cabin resort, Gordy was feeling a little bummed. Bummed and jealous. He had found Miss Long’s bathing suit, brought it up to her cabin, and hung it on the line when she didn’t answer the door. And Dirk wouldn’t let him take any credit. I should have left a note, he thought. Now she’ll never know what I did for her. If I tell her I’ll get in trouble. But what did she think when she saw it there on the line? Wasn’t she surprised?