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

A few minutes later, Regan walked into the deli. At the last table, Judson was wolfing down his sandwich. He looked to be in his late twenties, tanned and muscular, with dark hair cut close to his head. He was wearing jeans, a T-shirt with grass stains, and work boots, and started to stand as he greeted her.

“Please sit. Thanks for meeting with me,” Regan said as she pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down.

“Sure. What’s happening?”

“As you know, I’d like to speak to you about Edna Frawley’s former tenant.”

He smiled as he took a sip of his bottled iced tea. “Cleo Paradise?”

“You knew who she was?” Regan asked.

“Everybody in town knew. Come on. This is a small place. Gossip around here goes viral.” He grinned. “I know she’s gone now. Why are you asking about her?”

“Her parents are concerned because they haven’t heard from her this week. They called the house while I was there. They’re parents so of course they worry,” Regan said. “They asked me to try and find out where Cleo is. She’s probably fine, but I was wondering if you had much of a chance to talk with her at all.”

“The first few times I went over to cut the lawn or check the pool her car was there but she stayed inside the house. Then I went over and found her in the pool doing laps. She got out right away so I could do what I needed to do. She was really nice and introduced herself as Cleo.”

“She did?” Regan asked, surprised.

“Yes, but she only gave me her first name. We chatted while I skimmed the pool and added the chemicals. I was cool,” he said, nodding his head. “I didn’t let on that I knew who she was, even though I was dying to tell her I loved that movie where she played the super. They dyed her hair red and cut it short for that movie. Now she has shoulder length brown hair, so I guess she’s not too surprised if people don’t act like they recognize her.”

“I got the impression from Edna she wanted her privacy. She got a lot of mean press after her stalker movie.”

“Yes, but come on. She must have gotten lonely. She told me a friend was supposed to be with her for the month but couldn’t make it. After that she’d sit out and chat whenever I worked on the pool. I obviously can’t have a conversation when I’m mowing the lawn.”

“Right,” Regan said.