BooksBarbecue
Back The Newcomer Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgments
  69. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  70. About the Author
  71. Newsletter Sign-up

“If there was anybody out there, he’s gone now,” he reported. “I got my flashlight, checked under cars, around the pool, down by the beach. Everything’s quiet. I called it in to dispatch too, and they sent a unit by. Nothing. Fina promised she’d have night watch roll through here on the hour tonight.”

“Did Oscar give you a description of the prowler?”

“Tall guy, but everybody looks tall to Oscar. He was dressed in dark clothes. And a baseball cap.”

“Rooney,” Letty said, feeling her scalp prickle.

45

JOE SIDLED UP TO HIS mother as she was escorting the last bingo player to the door of the rec room. “Where was Isabelle going tonight?”

Ava looked startled. “She and Sierra were going to meet friends someplace for burgers, then she said they might go to a late movie. What’s going on, son?”

“Oscar thought he saw someone prowling around outside the office about an hour ago,” Joe said. He explained about calling for a patrol unit and his fruitless search around the property.

“You think it’s Rooney,” Ava said.

“Maybe. But I don’t want to take any chances. And I don’t want those girls coming back here alone, late at night.”

“She was planning on spending the night at Sierra’s anyway,” Ava said. “But I’ll text her and tell her to make sure and stay put.”

Joe swept the beam of his powerful flashlight around the parking lot, then pointed it toward the office as he and Letty walked Ava back home. He bent down and examined the office door. “Doesn’t look like it’s been tampered with.” After unlocking the door, he motioned for them to stay outside while he checked the interior. “Okay,” he said, poking his head around the door. “Doesn’t look like anything here has been disturbed.”

They followed him back inside. Ava checked the storeroom. “Nothing here.”

Joe walked through each of the rooms in his mother’s apartment, switching on lights, checking closets and beneath beds. “You okay to stay here alone tonight?” he asked.

She went into the kitchen and reached into the cupboard over the stove and brought down her pistol. She gave it a fond pat. “I moved this out of the office since Maya’s around there so much. But I think I’ll keep this close by tonight. Just in case.”

He frowned. “Mom, I know you think you’re a tough old bird, but I don’t really think you need to keep a loaded gun under your pillow. I’ll be around here tonight. Call me if you see or hear anything.”

Ava touched Letty’s shoulder. “Maybe you and Maya should stay here tonight. You can sleep in Isabelle’s room.”

Letty considered the offer, then shook her head. “Thanks, but Vikki said Maya’s already asleep. I think we’ll be fine where we are.”