Read Online 4 Cupids Curse by Kathi Daley - Free Book Online

about who he was prior to that. Maybe Zak could do a background search if he finished his other projects on time, and there was always the slim chance that Salinger would turn something up. In the meantime, I figured I’d have a chat with Mary Grayson. But first I’d stop by the boathouse and pick up Charlie. Mary loved Charlie and would welcome a visit.
     
    I pulled into my drive and was delighted to see Zak’s truck was parked near my front door. I hadn’t yet given him a key, but I rarely locked my door except at night. It seemed odd that Zak would come by without calling first, but I supposed our relationship had moved beyond the formalities normally associated with being neighbors.
    “You’re leaving,” I complained as we passed at the front door . “But I just got here. Can you stay for a while?”
    “Sorry.” Zak gave me a quick peck on the lips. “I’ve got to run. I couldn’t find my phone, and I thought I might have left it here.”
    “You haven’t had your phone all day?” The idea that Zak had left his phone at my place wasn’t odd ; the fact that it was hours since he’d left and was just noticing seemed a bit more suspect.
    “I was working at home and didn’t notice until I got ready to leave. I looked around , but it wasn’t anywhere I could find it. After thinking about it, it occurred to me it might be in the pocket of the jacket I had on last night. I’m going to head back home and take another look.”
    “Do you have time for some lunch?” I tried for my most seductive voice , but he merely kissed me on the nose and said he didn’t. He promised to call me later and left as abruptly as he must have arrived.
    “Did you see that?” I asked Charlie. “I’m not sure I’ve ever felt quite so dismissed.”
    I’m sure if Charlie could talk, he’d remind me that not only had Zak had to cut his business trip short but he was also busy trying to get the Zoo open by the next day. He’d remind me that Zak loved me and most likely didn’t intend to be abrupt, and that I should cut him some slack and get on with my day. If Charlie had said that, I might have listened, but instead I found myself sinking into an emotional slump it would take a crane to pull me out of.
     
    Mary lived in a two-story house two blocks behind Main Street. The homes in the area were some of the first built in Ashton Falls, and while many of them were run-down, Mary kept hers as well as her limited funds would allow. Tawny had indicated that Trent had helped her out with a plumbing problem. It seemed our part-time contractor’s assistant was well versed in many aspects of the construction industry. I couldn’t help but wonder why he was working for what most likely barely topped minimum wage when he obviously had the skills to obtain a union job in a bigger town.
    “Zoe,” Mary greeted me as I walked up the front path, “and Charlie. What a nice surprise. Please do come in.”
    I wiped my feet on the front mat and checked Charlie’s paws for mud before we entered the spotlessly clean if somewhat cluttered house.
    “Can I get you some coffee? Perhaps a freshly baked muffin?”
    “Thanks , but we can only stay for a few minutes.”
    “ What can I do for you?” Mary asked as we settled onto the sofa in the living room.
    “I wanted to ask you about Trent Everett.”
    My conversation with Mary started off much like the others had, with me asking questions about how she’d met Trent and her gushing about how he’d saved her from being homeless when he fixed her plumbing for free. Then I asked about any enemies he might have had, and she swore he was the kindest man to ever grace the earth. Toward the end of our chat, when I was asking about his life before he’d arrived in Ashton Falls, she got a distant look on her face.
    “There was something,” she shared. “He got a call while he was here. He went into the other room to take it , but these walls are thin and I couldn’t help but overhear. It