Read Online Funeral with a View by Matt Schiariti - Free Book Online Page B

she cooed, tickling his ears and accepting
his slobbery kisses with a smile.
    I stood and wiped dog
spit off my face. A woman who could only be Catherine’s older sister stood
grinning in the doorway. Other than slightly lighter skin and blue eyes, she
and Cat may as well have been carbon copies. Even her hair, which she wore in a
short bob ala Rachel from Friends ,was the same strawberry blond.
    I extended my hand. “Um,
hi. Jude?”
    “Got it in one. You may
want to wipe off that hand before I shake it.”
    “What? Oh, right.” I
rubbed some dog slobber on my shorts. Nothing but class.
    “That’s better.” She
winked and we shook hands. “You must be Rick.”
    “Hope so. If not,
someone’s been really pissed about their SAT scores all these years.”
    “Pleased to meet you,
Rick. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
    I’m sure you have .
    “All of it good, I hope?”
    “Some good, some bad,
some very good.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
    “The good and very good
are all true. But I vehemently deny the bad.”
    “Too late. Part of the
historical record now.”
    “Hey Jude, don’t be so
cruel.”
    “And you were doing so
well,” she sighed. “But you’re pretty cute, so I’ll let that slide.”
    “I can live with that.”
    “Good.” Jude stepped
inside. “C’mon in, guys. The parental units are waiting out back.” She stooped
down and patted her thighs. “C’mere, Butch! Inside! There’s a good puppy.” Butch
tore ass back into the house, his deadly claws clacking on the hardwood.
    Catherine took my hand
and kissed me on the cheek. “Not bad, Ricky. Nice entrance. Sorry I didn’t warn
you about The Beatles thing, though. That really chafes her ass.”
    “You saying you didn’t
leave that out on purpose?”
    “Maybe, maybe not.”
    “I’ll make you pay for
that, woman.”
    “Promises, promises. Come
on. Let’s go in. Don’t want to keep Mom and Pop waiting.”
    Squeezing her hand, I let
her lead me into the Maddox compound, hoping my altercation with Butch would be
the only hiccup.

CHAPTER 17
     
     
     
     
    “Man, this place is
fantastic.” The house was full of warm colors, comfortable furniture, and all
the trimmings. “What’s that room?” I pointed to a pair of mysterious doors off
the main hallway.
    “That’s Dad’s study,”
Catherine said. “He’s got a small library in there, some collectibles, the
whole nine yards.” She squeezed my hand. “How’re you holding up?”
    “So far so good.”
    “I bet they’re on the
patio, raring to go. It’s right up here, through the kitchen.”
    “Mom, Dad! They’re
heee-eeer,” Jude yelled as we stepped out onto the deck.
    Must not chew nails. Must
not chew nails.
    Mary Jo Maddox turned
from where she’d been setting up the picnic table. She had on a large sun hat
and sunglasses, just like my mom wears. Her face lit up when she saw Catherine.
Waving, she walked toward us.
    I thrust my hands in my
pockets and rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet as mother and
daughter embraced.
    “How are you doing?” Mary
Jo whispered in Catherine’s ear. I detected a slight southern accent.
    “I’m okay, Mom. Where’s
Dad?”
    “He had to take a quick
phone call in his office.”
    I could see where the
sisters’ resemblance stemmed from. Although curly auburn hair spilled from
underneath her hat, Mary Jo Maddox was an older version of her two daughters,
from the small nose that turned up slightly at the end, to the full lips, high
cheekbones, and dimpled chin. The Maddox women were three of the same person,
age the only difference between them. The conspicuously absent Colonel was
indeed a lucky man to be surrounded by such beauty.
    I cleared my throat, more
than a bit uncomfortable at the unspoken dialogue the two communicated with
their eyes.
    “Um, Mom? Our guest?” Jude
to the rescue.
    “Oh, I’m sorry.” Mary Jo,
noticing me for the first time, inspected me from top to bottom, much like my
mother had done