Read Online Dead Is So Last Year by Marlene Perez - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marlene Perez
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would be easy to locate a person, especially someone as infamous as Rafe Giordano, or his look-alike, as the case might be.
No one was talking, either, except to say stuff like "Daisy, I hear your father is back in town." But after inquiring, I would trace the rumor back to Penny Edwards.
I was beginning to think he was a figment of my imagination. Still, I was glad Mom wasn't home. I could only imagine the frenzy she would work herself into over this.
On Friday, Poppy and I were going to have lunch with Rose on campus. I was curious to see where she worked, and besides, we needed to talk about Dad in a place where half the town wouldn't overhear the conversation. The campus was usually fairly deserted in the summer, except for the smaller number of students taking summer classes.
We followed Rose's directions and found the parking lot she had indicated. After that, we made a long trek through the campus grounds. The campus was a hodgepodge of architectural styles. We saw everything from classic brick to seventies modern buildings.
Rose's lab was located in a building that had seen better days. The paint was peeling in spots and the windows needed washing. We went down a dingy, poorly lit hallway until we found the lab, but the door was locked.
"What should we do?" I said.
"Knock," Poppy suggested, "unless you want to send Rose a message telepathically. Or use my cell phone," she added dryly. I'd never thought about it before, but I wondered if it bugged Poppy that Rose and I could communicate nonverbally.
I tapped lightly on the door, but there was no answer.
"Pound on it," Poppy instructed. She whipped out her cell and punched in Rose's number. "She's not answering."
I knocked louder. Still no answer.
A moment later, the door opened a crack, revealing a woman in a lab coat. She had white cotton-candy hair, and I had to resist the impulse to take a bite.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
"Uh, we're here to see Rose Giordano," I said.
She didn't smile, but the severe look on her face lessened a bit. "You must be her sisters."
"Yes," Poppy said. "We're supposed to meet her for lunch. Is she here?" She peered through the doorway, but the woman stepped into the hallway and closed the door with a snap, effectively blocking Poppy's view.
"She left on an errand for me about an hour ago. I'm Dr. Franken."
After we had introduced ourselves, Rose came rushing up. She was carrying a stack of bakery boxes.
"Sorry I'm late," she said. To the professor she said, "I went to the Donut Hole, but they were already sold out."
Dr. Franken frowned. "I'm sure you did your best, my dear."
"I had to go to three different bakeries, but I managed to get everything on your list."
The professor cracked a smile. "Excellent." Without another word, she opened the door to the lab and disappeared behind it.
"Is she always like that?" Poppy said.
"She's a brilliant scientist," Rose said defensively. "She doesn't have time to stand around and chat."
"I'm sure she's very busy," I said, trying to avert a fight. "Let's eat. I'm starving."
Poppy pulled a compact out of her purse and applied a coat of lipstick. "How about the student center?" she suggested. "I want to get to know the campus. After all, I'll be going here in the fall."
On our walk to the student center, we passed a few people, but for the most part, campus seemed deserted.
Rose gave us a quick tour on the way. "Most of the food court is closed," she explained, "but a couple of the restaurants are still open."
"Why are they closed?" Poppy asked.
"Most of the students go home for the summer," Rose explained. "So it's mostly just faculty and staff left. Not too many people enroll in summer session."
"Oh," Poppy said. She looked crestfallen. "You mean I won't meet any frat guys today?"
"Doubtful," Rose said, smiling at me. It was nice to see Poppy show an interest in the opposite sex again.
We made our way to the food court and ordered sandwiches. There were plenty of
No one was talking, either, except to say stuff like "Daisy, I hear your father is back in town." But after inquiring, I would trace the rumor back to Penny Edwards.
I was beginning to think he was a figment of my imagination. Still, I was glad Mom wasn't home. I could only imagine the frenzy she would work herself into over this.
On Friday, Poppy and I were going to have lunch with Rose on campus. I was curious to see where she worked, and besides, we needed to talk about Dad in a place where half the town wouldn't overhear the conversation. The campus was usually fairly deserted in the summer, except for the smaller number of students taking summer classes.
We followed Rose's directions and found the parking lot she had indicated. After that, we made a long trek through the campus grounds. The campus was a hodgepodge of architectural styles. We saw everything from classic brick to seventies modern buildings.
Rose's lab was located in a building that had seen better days. The paint was peeling in spots and the windows needed washing. We went down a dingy, poorly lit hallway until we found the lab, but the door was locked.
"What should we do?" I said.
"Knock," Poppy suggested, "unless you want to send Rose a message telepathically. Or use my cell phone," she added dryly. I'd never thought about it before, but I wondered if it bugged Poppy that Rose and I could communicate nonverbally.
I tapped lightly on the door, but there was no answer.
"Pound on it," Poppy instructed. She whipped out her cell and punched in Rose's number. "She's not answering."
I knocked louder. Still no answer.
A moment later, the door opened a crack, revealing a woman in a lab coat. She had white cotton-candy hair, and I had to resist the impulse to take a bite.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
"Uh, we're here to see Rose Giordano," I said.
She didn't smile, but the severe look on her face lessened a bit. "You must be her sisters."
"Yes," Poppy said. "We're supposed to meet her for lunch. Is she here?" She peered through the doorway, but the woman stepped into the hallway and closed the door with a snap, effectively blocking Poppy's view.
"She left on an errand for me about an hour ago. I'm Dr. Franken."
After we had introduced ourselves, Rose came rushing up. She was carrying a stack of bakery boxes.
"Sorry I'm late," she said. To the professor she said, "I went to the Donut Hole, but they were already sold out."
Dr. Franken frowned. "I'm sure you did your best, my dear."
"I had to go to three different bakeries, but I managed to get everything on your list."
The professor cracked a smile. "Excellent." Without another word, she opened the door to the lab and disappeared behind it.
"Is she always like that?" Poppy said.
"She's a brilliant scientist," Rose said defensively. "She doesn't have time to stand around and chat."
"I'm sure she's very busy," I said, trying to avert a fight. "Let's eat. I'm starving."
Poppy pulled a compact out of her purse and applied a coat of lipstick. "How about the student center?" she suggested. "I want to get to know the campus. After all, I'll be going here in the fall."
On our walk to the student center, we passed a few people, but for the most part, campus seemed deserted.
Rose gave us a quick tour on the way. "Most of the food court is closed," she explained, "but a couple of the restaurants are still open."
"Why are they closed?" Poppy asked.
"Most of the students go home for the summer," Rose explained. "So it's mostly just faculty and staff left. Not too many people enroll in summer session."
"Oh," Poppy said. She looked crestfallen. "You mean I won't meet any frat guys today?"
"Doubtful," Rose said, smiling at me. It was nice to see Poppy show an interest in the opposite sex again.
We made our way to the food court and ordered sandwiches. There were plenty of
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