Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 76000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
I raise an eyebrow and immediately shift my day around in my head. “I’m coming with you.”
“You don’t have to do that. In fact, why would you do that?”
“Because I don’t want you to go alone.”
Just when I think she’ll roll her eyes at me, a soft smile touches the corner of her lips, and she shrugs.
“Okay, you can come. Do you know Sally and Fred?”
“Do I look like I just moved to town?” I think that punk kid she just fired is the only person within twenty miles that doesn’t know who they are.
June looks me up and down, taking her time with it. “Point taken.”
“Let’s go, then.”
“I’ll drive.” June tosses over her shoulder as she walks to her truck and unlocks the doors. “And then you’ll be my hostage.”
“Hostages are held against their will,” I remind her as I climb into her truck. “I’m here voluntarily.”
Since Huckleberry Bay is such a small town, it doesn’t take us long to drive over to the assisted living place where Fred and Sally live now, and when we walk inside, the receptionist smiles at June.
“Hey, Mavis,” June says. “I have an appointment to see Fred and Sally.”
“Sally called down and told me you’d be coming. You can go on up.” Mavis glances my way, and her smile widens. “Hi, Apollo. I like that shirt on you.”
June rolls her eyes and stomps away, but I just smile at Mavis and offer her a nod. “Thanks. Have a good day.”
“Does it ever get old?” June asks once the elevator doors close.
“Does what get old?”
“You know.” She waves her hand in the air as if gesturing toward Mavis. “Being ogled everywhere you go.”
“I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.”
She cuts me a side-eye look of annoyance and taps her foot.
“No,” I decide after a moment. “It doesn’t get old.”
“You’re so ridiculous,” June says, and when the door opens, she hurries ahead of me. I catch up to her quickly, pull her to a stop so her back is pressed to my front, and bury my lips in her hair next to her ear.
“The only one I’m looking back at is you, Juniper. Don’t forget that.”
She clears her throat, takes three steps forward, and raises her hand to knock on the Newkirks’ door. Only, before she makes contact, the door swings open.
“Well, June,” Sally says with a happy smile. Her hair is as white as snow, and even though she’s just a tiny thing, she looks healthy as can be as she opens her arms in an invitation for a hug. “Come in, dear. And you brought Apollo. What a lovely surprise.”
“He asked to come along,” June says as she hugs the little woman. “How are you, Sally?”
“I’m fit as a fiddle. Fred is soaking up some sunshine on the balcony. Why don’t we join him?”
“Sounds good. How is he?” I ask, and some of the enthusiasm from just a moment ago falls from her face.
“He’s getting by,” is all she says as she leads us through the small apartment to the glass door that opens out to a little balcony. It has a great view of the mountains in one direction and of the ocean in the other. “Fred, honey, June is here, and she brought Apollo Winchester with her.”
“Oh, good.” Fred turns and tries to get up, but I hurry to shake his hand and keep him in his seat. Fred’s health took a turn for the worse last year, and the couple made the decision to move into the assisted living facility so Sally would have help if she needed it. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too,” I reply. “It’s a beautiful day to sit outside.”
“That it is. Never get tired of the sea air.” Fred gestures for us to sit, and once we do, Sally smiles at June.
“What can we do for you, dear? Is everything all right at the chapel?”
“Oh, yes. It’s great, actually. When I have some more work finished, I’ll have to take you over there so you can see all the progress.”
“We’d like that,” Fred says.
“I actually came to talk to you about another piece of property,” June continues. “The lot next door to the chapel with the two abandoned buildings on it.”
“Oh, we’ve had a few offers recently to buy that,” Sally says. “In fact, one young man has been very insistent.”
“I told her to just sell it,” Fred adds. “We don’t need it.”
“Is his name Eric, by any chance?”
“Yes, that’s him. He’s from the city, and he’s not terribly friendly, but he offered a good amount of money for the property.”
“Sally,” June says, leaning in, “I had a conversation with Eric recently, and he told me about his plans for that property, as well as the rest of the town.”
Systematically, June tells them everything she knows about what Eric plans to do. Hearing it again makes my blood boil, and I can tell by the looks on Sally’s and Fred’s faces that they feel the same way.