Cover Page

Front Flap

BOOKS BY CAROL HIGGINS CLARK

Wrecked

Cursed

Zapped

Laced

Hitched

Burned

Popped

Jinxed

Fleeced

Twanged

Iced

Snagged

Decked

WITH MARY HIGGINS CLARK

Dashing Through the Snow

Santa Cruise

The Christmas Thief

He Sees You When You’re Sleeping

Deck the Halls

Title Page

Acknowledgments

Kudos to the following people who helped get Regan Reilly to that garage sale!

As always, endless gratitude to my editor and friend Roz Lippel, for her guidance, support, and wonderful suggestions. Thanks Roz! Regan and Jack Reilly thank you as well!

Associate Director of Copyediting Gypsy da Silva.

Scribner Art Director Rex Bonomelli.

Senior Production Manager Lisa Erwin.

Copy Editor Joshua Cohen.

Scribner Publishing Associate Lisa Erickson.

Designer Carla Jayne Jones.

My agent, Esther Newberg.

My family and friends who cheer me on through the writing process.

A special thanks to my readers—I hope you enjoy Regan and Jack’s unusual weekend at the shore!

Dedication

In joyous memory of our uncle,
Kenneth John Clark
Known forever in our family as “The Unc”
1931-2011
You always made us laugh and always will
We love you

Kevin, Marilyn, Warren, Glenn, David, Carol, Brian, and Patty Clark
Billy and Tommy Quinn

MOBBED

Thursday, August 4th

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

1

Get that phone call over with.” Jack Reilly leaned down, kissed his wife, then opened the front door of the loft they shared in TriBeCa.

“I will,” Regan answered, with a slight grimace. “I had the feeling that guy wasn’t going to turn out to be Mr. Right for Hayley, but I certainly didn’t expect what we witnessed last night.”

“He’s a first-class creep,” Jack said. “Hayley dodged a bullet.”

“You’re right,” Regan agreed. “But somehow I don’t think that will be the first thought that runs through her mind when I tell her what happened. It’ll probably take a little time for her to reach that conclusion. Like another ten years.”

Jack smiled, then started out the door. “If she has to hear the bad news from anyone, she’s lucky it’s you. You’ll know what to say.” He turned back and gave Regan a hug. “What a relief to be out of the singles scene. Another reason to raise a glass to your father.”

Regan smiled. “That’s for sure. And Dad never gets tired of hearing us thank him. We can toast him for the millionth time tonight.”

Regan and Jack had met when Luke Reilly, owner of three funeral homes in New Jersey, had been kidnapped with his driver in New York City. He’d just stepped out of the hospital where Regan’s mother, Nora, had been recovering from a broken leg. Jack, head of the Major Case Squad, had been called in. The rest, as they say, is history.

“Let’s plan to be on the road by seven,” Jack said as he stepped out into the hallway. “Hopefully the traffic will have eased up by then.”

They were headed to the Jersey Shore to spend what was predicted to be a hot and sunny weekend with Regan’s parents at the beach house they had purchased in Spring Lake, after spending years in the Hamptons. Saturday was Nora’s birthday.

Regan smiled as she watched Jack turn and press the button for the elevator. He was the best thing that ever happened to her—and so handsome at six foot two with green eyes and light brown hair that tended to curl. Regan, five foot seven, was black Irish, with dark hair, blue eyes, and light skin. People often commented that they seemed made for each other.

The elevator door opened. “See you later, Regan Reilly Reilly,” Jack said with a wave.

That was another thing. They had been born with the same last name. No messy paperwork for Regan when they got married.

“Love you,” Regan called. She closed the door, then walked with deliberation to her office. A private investigator, she’d been living in Los Angeles at the time she met Jack and had a small, funky office in Hollywood. When she moved to New York, she’d set up shop in their spacious and painstakingly renovated loft. Heavy on the pain, Regan always said. The renovation had been no picnic. But it had been worth it.

The sight of her home office, with its gleaming mahogany desk and matching shelves filled with books and pictures, normally felt welcoming. But today was different. She wished she could have made this phone call last night, but Hayley had to work until well past midnight. Regan pulled out her chair, glancing at her grandmother’s old-fashioned clock on the mantel as she sat down. It was 8:10. Hayley’s cell phone number was on a piece of paper by the phone.

A high school classmate, Hayley Patton, had contacted Regan on Monday morning, just three days ago, after spending another miserable weekend without her beau. Scott Thompson, the guy she’d been dating for four months, had recently gone through a less than amicable divorce and claimed he needed to spend his weekends with his sixteen-year-old son, who lived with his mother.

“Until this all settles down, I have to focus on Trevor,” he’d told her.

Scott lived and worked in northern New Jersey. Hayley was a rising star in the world of event planning and had a great apartment in New York City.

“Call me crazy,” Hayley had said to Regan. “But how many sixteen-year-old boys want to spend nearly every Saturday night with Papa Bear?”

“Not many,” Regan agreed.

Hayley’s words came spilling out. “Scott can spend the day with the kid, then drive across the George Washington Bridge and have dinner with me. He’s done it a few times, but I haven’t seen him on a weekend in over a month. It’s summertime. God forbid we should ever go to the beach like normal couples do. I’m going crazy. We have such a good time when we’re together. He seems to really like me. And I like him. Maybe he does need time before getting involved in another relationship. But if he is giving me a line, I want to know now. He certainly loves going to the parties I bring him to—maybe a little too much.” Hayley paused. “Regan, can I hire you to check him out?”

“Of course, Hayley,” Regan had said. “When are you supposed to see him again?”

“Thursday.”

“What’s he doing the next few nights?”

“Beats me.”

“I can start today by following him after work.”

“Perfect!”

On Monday and Tuesday, Regan had tailed Scott after he left his office. Both nights he’d gone to the gym, then straight home. Yesterday, after putting in late hours the two nights before, Jack left work early and accompanied Regan on her surveillance.

Regan reached for the phone. Here goes nothing, she thought, as she dialed Hayley’s number.

“Regan!” Hayley cried, answering on the first ring. It sounded as if she were out on the street—horns were blowing and a siren was wailing in the distance. “Scott just texted me he has to cancel our date tonight. He said he’d call later. Do you have any news?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I can tell by your tone it’s not good.”

Regan frowned. “No, it isn’t.”

Hayley groaned. “He really wanted to come to the premiere with me last night, but I couldn’t bring anyone. There was such tight security with all those stars. He even called me yesterday, hinting around for an invitation. Where did he end up?”

Oh boy, Regan thought. Here goes. “Hayley, he was out with someone who—”

“I knew he must be dating someone else!” Hayley interrupted. “Did they look like they were having a good time?”

“Well,” Regan said, then paused. “Hayley, I might as well just say it. Scott got engaged last night.”

“Engaged?!”

“Yes. Jack was with me. We followed Scott from his office to a restaurant an hour south. After he’d gone inside, we waited for about fifteen minutes, then went in and sat at a table near his. He was with a woman …”

“Did you hear him propose?” Hayley practically shrieked.

“Not exactly. It was a Chinese restaurant. When she cracked open her fortune cookie, the ring fell out.”

“So what happened then?”

“I gues the fortune said, ‘Will you marry me?’ She screamed, said yes, and the waiters started clapping.”

“How embarrassing!”

“You’re right,” Regan agreed. “This was not the guy for you.”

“Was she pretty?”

“Well,” Regan began.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Hayley interrupted. Her voice cracked. “He must have been planning this for a while. Why did he string me along? Just to be able to go to A-list parties and hot nightclubs? Was he just waiting to see if he’d get to go to the premiere last night before he dumped me?”

“I don’t know, Hayley. But you’re better off without him. He must have been lying to this other woman, too.”

“Regan, I’m going to get back at him. Somehow. I’ll figure it out. He’ll be sorry, believe me.”

“Hayley, be careful. Forget him. You’ll meet someone else. You’re out all the time …”

“That’s what everyone says, but it’s not easy. I work hard at these events. It’s business. Last year I tried an Internet dating service, and what happened? They set me up with my brother!”

“I know,” Regan said sympathetically.

“I have to run to the subway. I’ll call you later, okay?” Hayley asked quickly, sounding as if she were trying not to cry.

“Call me anytime, Hayley. You have my cell number.”

“Thanks. ‘Bye”

That guy is really a jerk, Regan thought as she hung up the phone and headed into the kitchen. If he had gone to the premiere with Hayley, when would he have proposed to that girl? Tonight?

The phone rang as Regan was pouring herself a cup of coffee. She reached for the receiver on the wall.

“Hello.”

“Regan, I’m going to get back at him!” Hayley shouted vehemently. Regan could hear the roar of the subway in the background. “I don’t know how, but I’ll figure something out. Talk to you later.”

The phone clicked in Regan’s ear. A moment later it rang again. She’s so upset, Regan thought as she answered, expecting to hear more specific plans for Hayley’s revenge.

But it was her mother.

“Hi, Mom. I thought you’d be writing now.”

Nora Regan Reilly was a well-known suspense writer who liked to hit the computer by six A.M.

“I was,” Nora said, “but, Regan, can you do me a favor and take the train down this morning?”

“Sure. What’s up?”

“I just received a frantic phone call from Karen Fulton. She’s the high school friend I reconnected with at our reunion in the spring, who lives in San Diego. She just got word that her mother, the irrepressible Edna Frawley, sold their house here at the shore in Bay Head.”

“Didn’t you stay at that house way back when?” Regan asked.

“Way back when?” Nora repeated with a chuckle. “Thanks, Regan. The answer is yes.”

“I didn’t mean it was that long ago,” Regan protested.

“Anyway,” Nora continued, “Edna is having a big garage sale today. She rented a plane to fly over the beach touting the sale and has a full-page ad in the local paper. Everything the actress Cleo Paradise left behind when she rented the house last month is up for grabs. Karen’s afraid everything from her childhood will be gone. She’s getting on a plane but won’t be in until tonight. She asked me to go over there and see what’s going on. I’d love for you to come with me.”

“I’ll check the train schedule,” Regan said as she walked back into her office. “Karen’s mother sounds like a character.”

“She is. I remember her well. With Edna Frawley you can always expect the unexpected.”

Like Scott, Regan thought, picturing in her mind the scene at the Chinese restaurant. His proposal to that girl certainly was unexpected. And now Hayley was intent on revenge.

Regan suddenly felt anxious. If Hayley crosses him, who knows what else “unexpected” he’s capable of?

2

Twenty-seven minutes earlier

I can’t believe my ears!” Karen Fulton wailed.

Edna Frawley held the phone at arm’s length, her daughter’s noisy hysteria a jarring contrast to the peaceful stillness of the morning air. My little baby sounds as if she’s right here by my side instead of three thousand miles away in California, Edna mused as she patted her coiffed strawberry blond hair. Seventy-eight-year-old Edna was ready for action. Fully made up, dressed in a jumpsuit she’d worn in the sixties, she was relaxing in her backyard gazebo, counting the minutes until the arrival of her garage sale guests. Hopefully a camera crew or two as well.

“It’s time, darling,” Edna said cheerily as she reached for her coffee. “When opportunity knocks, I answer.”

“But you answered the door to a total stranger!”

“The total stranger rang the bell at the gate. The total stranger wants to pay me a respectable sum for this house. At a time when no one is buying.”

“But you weren’t selling!”

“Which is even more perfect because I don’t have to pay a Realtor’s commission.”

“But that’s our shore house,” Karen protested. “It’s where I spent my summers since childhood. It’s where you retired … all those priceless memories.”

“You were always complaining we were in too ritzy a section. Not close enough to the boardwalk with the bumper cars, not close enough to—”

“I know, but I was a kid,” Karen interrupted. “We were lucky to have such a beautiful house like that, even though it’s not right on the beach.”

“Your father was obsessed with erosion. If we lived on the water, he’d have been out there with a ruler every day.” Edna sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, darling. I’ll be sorry to say goodbye to the lovely backyard, the pool, the sense of privacy. This place has charm. But with today’s market, I could be dead and buried before we’d get a buyer who would fork over the priceless sum you think your memories are worth.”

“I wish you had talked to me about it first.”

“What’s to talk about? And how often do you visit? Once or twice a year? Ever since your father passed over, six long years ago, I’ve been rumbling around this house by myself. Arnetta was always telling me I should rent my house for at least a month during the summer, make some cash, and stay with her in the retirement village to see how I liked it. I could kiss her feet. Staying with Arnetta at Golden Peaks was a blast. Now I can buy a place there!”

“I thought Arnetta got on your nerves.”

“She’s grown on me.”

“But why can’t you take a little time with this? We’ll go through everything in the house together, then you can have the sale.”

“The train’s already left the station, sweetie. Besides, this gentleman wants to move in as soon as possible. And I’m so lucky to have the things Cleo Paradise left behind to put on sale. People will show up who would never have dreamt of coming by. Hopefully I’ll get rid of every last bit of junk in our attic and basement. It’s been quite an adventure sorting through everything.”

“Don’t sell my things!”

“They’re in quarantine.”

“Mom, I don’t think you have the right to sell whatever Cleo Paradise left behind. Don’t you have to notify her and give her a certain amount of time to come back and retrieve her possessions?”

“Another lucky break! She left a letter that I found when I came back here on Sunday. I was hoping to see her but she left a few days early. She apologized for anything out of order, told me to keep the security deposit, and do what I wanted with whatever she forgot. I have it in black and white. She was a little bit of a slob so I call it even steven.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have put her name in the ad.”

“Why not?”

“It doesn’t seem right. I thought you liked her.”

“She was a sweet girl, even though she refused my invitation to take her to the club for lunch. You know what touched my heart about her?”

“What?” Karen asked flatly.

“She said she couldn’t wait to curl up in the gazebo and read a book. Your father and I sat here so many summer nights …” Edna’s voice trailed off.

“It’s where I had my first kiss,” Karen recalled.

“Don’t remind me,” Edna retorted. “I never liked that kid. What was his crazy nickname?”

“Fish.”

“Oh, that’s right. He liked to swim. His fingers were always wrinkled.” Edna rolled her eyes. “Karen, this is all good news. When I came back Sunday I was feeling a little down in the dumps. On the one hand it was good to come home, and on the other I hated leaving my new friends at Golden Peaks. I was making a cup of tea, which my grandmother said she always did to feel better if the blues hit her before cocktail hour. I was just about to take my first sip when the doorbell rang. It was fate! Later that night, kooks were driving by, honking their horns, shouting Cleo’s name. I was so glad I’d agreed to sell the house. Even though we have the gate and the alarm system, I don’t feel safe here anymore …” Edna paused for a moment to allow that tidbit to sink into her daughter’s brain. “At Golden Peaks, I won’t be so completely alone.”

“You know I wish I could live closer to you. But Hank’s company is headquartered in San Diego.”

“He does research on the algae in the Pacific Ocean. What’s wrong with the algae in the Atlantic?” Edna asked for the umpteenth time. “The Atlantic’s right down the block. If you lived with me, he could walk to work.”

Karen sighed. “Does Frankie know about any of this?”

“Highly doubtful. What ocean is he in the middle of as we speak? Tinkling the ivories on a cruise ship keeps my son busy. He won’t care. He’s never here, either. I wish I had raised at least one homebody.”

“Do you have anyone helping you run the sale?”

“Two lovely young women who have a business called The Garage Sale Gurus. I was lucky to find them.”

“What about security?”

“Two young, handsome, muscular men. Oh, to be a girl again …”

“Who are they?”

“Bouncers at one of the clubs in Asbury Park. They come highly recommended. Tattoos and all.” Edna stood and surveyed the backyard. The pool was sparkling in the sunlight. The tall hedges that bordered the wrought iron fence were green and lush. And every inch of the lawn was covered with junk. “I’m starting a new life, sweetie. It’s so exciting. I feel young again. And with my aches and pains, that’s not easy.”

“I’m calling the airlines.”

“It will be wonderful to see you. And when I do there’s another big surprise I’ll tell you about.”

“What?” Karen asked hastily.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, now, would it?” Edna asked, then gleefully hung up the phone.

3

After Regan checked the train schedule, she hurried into the bedroom. A train was leaving Penn Station in an hour. I’m glad that for once I started packing in advance, she thought as she tossed more clothes into her suitcase.

Regan couldn’t stop thinking about Hayley and how upset she was. I wish there was some great guy I could introduce her to, Regan thought as she gathered her toiletries. But if there were, Kit would kill me if I didn’t introduce her first.

Kit was Regan’s best friend, who lived in Hartford and worked for an insurance company. They’d met in junior year of college when they’d spent a semester in England. Kit was still searching for Mr. Right. Since Regan found Jack, she was always on the lookout for someone for Kit.

So far, the pickings had been slim. Kit had spent the Fourth of July weekend with them in Spring Lake. Regan set Kit up on a blind date that had been a disaster. Thinking back on the moment Kit came back to the house after dinner, Regan laughed out loud.

“Regan!” Kit had cried. “Are you out of your mind?”

“Was it that bad?” Regan asked meekly.

“That bad? It was worse. When you told me that you and Jack met him on the beach, I had such a fantasy in my mind of what he’d be like,” Kit said with amazement. “Okay, he’s my age, single, not bad looking and well educated, but I never imagined he’d spend the entire evening discussing his fascination with invertebrates.”

“Invertebrates?”

“Invertebrates.”

“When I got stung by a jellyfish he was very helpful,” Regan explained. “He had vinegar in his bag that he put on my leg. He knew exactly what to do.”

“Didn’t that give you a hint of what he was like?” Kit had asked incredulously. “Most of the guys I dated never bring suntan lotion to the beach. This guy had a supply of vinegar! And listen to this: when we sat down he gave me one of those wipes for your hands. And he asked for separate bread baskets.”

“He does sound strange. But I’m trying, Kit.”

“And please don’t stop.” Kit paused for a millisecond. “I appreciate your efforts on my behalf, Regan. I really do. But this guy was obsessed by creatures without spinal columns.”

“Then there’s no way you’d be right for each other,” Regan laughed.

Glancing at the clock radio, Regan started to move faster. She closed her suitcase, reached for the phone, and dialed Jack’s number.

“Everything okay?” he asked quickly.

“Yes, fine,” Regan said. “My mother called,” she began, then quickly filled him in on the garage sale.

“How did Cleo Paradise end up renting the house?”

The Story Continues on BooksBarbecue!

Enjoyed this preview? ❤️ Do not stop here!

Read the complete book free online → 🔗

Continue reading now on BooksBarbecue and discover every page!

Love reading? Bookmark BooksBarbecue.com for more amazing books!

Happy Reading!