Read Online Feta Attraction by Susannah Hardy - Free Book Online Page B

then died of a gunshot wound before he was dumped in the water. That’s why he was floating when we found him—he didn’t take water into his lungs because he wasn’t breathing.”
    I shivered as the picture of his floating corpse, that ugly welt impressed on his head, popped back into my brain. Keith put his arm around me. “It’s gonna be okay, honey.”
    I looked up at him and he smiled down at me, our faces close. The breeze was lifting his blond hair and I could see that, unlike Big Dom and his Trumpish comb-over, Keith was genetically blessed with the hairline of a boy. A little stubble on his chin and jaw showed he either hadn’t shaved yet this morning or had a fast-growing beard. His eyes were soft and his lips were slightly parted.
    He’s going to kiss me,
I thought, momentarily panicked but a bit thrilled at the same time. It had been a long time since anyone had kissed me. Why not Keith? He was my friend. I could trust him. He was a great-looking guy.
If he wants to kiss me, I’ll let him,
I decided.
I could do a whole lot worse.
A laker glided by in the distance, and let out a blast of its horn.
What if you can do better?
a little voice in my mind piped up. According to Liza, Keith was in love with me. We were sitting on a park bench in full view of anybody who happened to walk or boat by. In light of recent rumors about us, somehow this didn’t seem like a good idea. I might have a crumbling, sham marriage and be about to be thrown out of my home and job, but I wasn’t ready for this. I wriggled out of his embrace and stood up, walking over to the nearby trash can to dispose of the damp handful of napkins and empty coffee cup I was still holding.
    â€œI should be getting back to the restaurant,” I said.
    â€œBye, Georgie.” He was smiling but it seemed a bit forced. Was he disappointed about the thwarted smooch?
    â€œBye, Keith.” I started toward the pavilion, then turned back as I remembered something I’d wanted to ask him before being distracted.
    â€œKeith, any idea why the Coast Guard would be investigating Big Dom’s murder?”
    â€œThe Coast Guard?” His face clouded. “That’s the state police’s jurisdiction.”
    â€œSome Coast Guard guy came around earlier asking me some questions.”
    â€œWhat kind of questions?”
    â€œJust about what we saw, that sort of thing. He wasn’t there long. He didn’t call you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWell, I imagine he will.”
    â€œWhat was his name? I know quite a few of the guys at the station.”
    â€œJack, uh . . . Captain Jack somebody, you know, like the Billy Joel song? Or those Johnny Depp movies? I have his card back at the restaurant somewhere.”
    â€œI don’t think I know any Jack stationed here. Do me a favor and look for that card, will you? I’m interested to find out what this is all about.”
    â€œI’ll call you if I find it. Bye again, Keith.”
    â€œBye again, honey.” He grinned.
    *   *   *
    The restaurant was bustling when I returned. Sophie was in her usual cushioned chair, feet outstretched on a footstool, right by the cash register. Dolly chopped away at a mound of carrots destined for either the salad or tonight’s vegetable side. Russ, the long tail of his dark hair swinging across the AC/DC logo on his T-shirt, emerged from the walk-in cooler carrying a box of lettuce to be cleaned and shredded.
    â€œOne of them white envelopes got shoved under the kitchen door a while ago,” Dolly said. “I looked out the window but whoever left it was gone by the time I got there. It’s on your desk.”
    My heart rose up in my throat. Sophie perked up and turned toward me expectantly. “Just an invoice from one of the suppliers,” I offered. This seemed to satisfy Sophie, but she continued to watch me. Damn, but she could make me