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

I probably should have called Frankie and told him what’s going on, she thought. But it’s so hard to reach him on the cruise ship. He’s in and out of his room, and the time difference between us is always changing. Not that he’ll care about the house being sold. He’s been away for so long. But once the house is gone, things will never be the same. Tears welled in Karen’s eyes. It’s where Daddy breathed his last. All those memories. My boys got up on surfboards for the first time at the Jersey shore.

Karen’s twins, now in their twenties, lived in San Diego and were trying to find themselves. You should look someplace besides the beach, Grandma Edna had told them more than once. They’d gotten such a kick out of Cleo Paradise renting the house and were hoping to meet her one day. Too late now, Karen thought. Something tells me the last thing Cleo Paradise will ever want is to have anything to do with our family.

I’ll get out my sleeping mask, Karen decided, as she reached underneath the seat in front of her for her purse. Not that I’ll sleep, but maybe I’ll relax. I hate these day flights. Better to get on a flight in the evening, have a cocktail, and nod off.

A moment later Karen pulled the elastic band of the mask over her head, arranged the pale blue protective covering around her eyes, and leaned back. Immediately she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Excuse me, Miss,” the man next to her said. “Before you fall asleep, I’d better go to the bathroom.”

“Sure,” Karen said, trying to sound patient, as she pulled down her mask.

“You look like you’re heading to a Halloween party.”

Karen smiled. “No, actually I’m going to a garage sale,” she said, her tone wry.

“That’s a long trip for a garage sale,” he said as they both started to get up. “But my wife loves them. Years ago, she bought a painting that was worth so much more than what she paid for it. Since then, she can’t pass a garage sale without slamming on the brakes. That painting was a steal!” He smacked the top of the seat in front of him. “A real steal! And she’s found tons of steals ever since!”

43

Outside Redman’s, Hayley and Laurinda were air kissing good-bye.

“Mmmmwa,” Laurinda said as their cheeks brushed. “Thanks for lunch, Hayley. Mmmmwa.”

The producer who had been dining with April Dockton came out the door and rushed past them.

“Oh,” Laurinda said. “I want to get out of here before April emerges. Talk soon.” She turned and hurried down the block to the theater.