Read Online Gunpowder Chowder by Lyndsey Cole - Free Book Online Page A

wine.”
    Olivia piped up, “And dessert. Don’t forget the candy canes.”
    Cal raised one eyebrow as he set glasses on the table. “Candy canes. How did you know my favorite dessert?” he teased.
    “Well, none for you, then, with that tone,” Hannah teased right back.
    Hannah poured herself a beer and a glass of wine for Ruby, letting Cal make his own beverage choice. He grabbed a beer, twisted off the top, and took a long swallow. He held the bottle up in Hannah’s direction. “Thanks. For the beer and the company.”
    When Hannah slid onto the bench next to Ruby, her hand crunched on top of some papers. As she picked them up to move them out of the way, she couldn't help but see, in big black bold letters, ‘EVICTION NOTICE IF RENT IS NOT PAID BY THE END OF THE MONTH.’
    She held the paper up and glanced at Cal. “Chase is going to evict you? How far behind is your rent? If you don’t mind my asking,” she hurriedly added.
    Cal waved his hand, dismissing the question. “I’ll be fine. Kelley contacted me to do some work for her on the Inn now that she is its sole owner. I informed her it was out of the question because of Vern’s unpaid bill and she said she’d take care of it. So,” he raised both hands, palms up, “money problem solved. My sister will be happy to hear that and she might even stop nagging me about my career choice.” He smiled. “Don’t worry, your work is still at the top of my list.” He set his empty beer bottle on the counter and helped himself to a second one.
    Ruby knocked her knee into Hannah’s. Hannah didn’t dare look at her sister. She knew what was going through her head because Hannah had the same thought. With Vern dead, Cal would get paid. Did he kill Vern to get his money? Possibly, if he was desperate enough, and this eviction notice certainly could be seen as a motive. She tried to push the thought aside, telling herself it was most likely a coincidence.
    “Who wants the grand tour of my boat?” The corners of Cal’s eyes wrinkled.
    “I do. I do,” Olivia shouted and crawled over her mother to get out of the seat. “Is there an upstairs?”
    “Sort of,” Cal replied. He took her hand. “Climb up this ladder and you’ll be in my bedroom.”
    Olivia scooted up the ladder like a little monkey. “Wow. I can see the ocean through the windows.” Her face got serious. “Do you ever get sick when the boat bounces around? I got sick once when Mommy took me on a boat and I threw up all over her.”
    Cal laughed. “No, the bouncing doesn’t bother me, but I’ll be sure to remember to keep you on dry land when there’s a storm.”
    Olivia held up a stuffed teddy bear. “Is this yours?”
    Hannah laughed out loud when she saw Cal’s face turn a deep shade of pink. The teddy bear in question was so thread bare, he only had patches of fur on his cheeks.
    “That’s Theodore and he’s just as old as I am. Thirty. I think I’ve aged a bit better, though.” He tilted his head, looking at Hannah and Ruby for confirmation, his blue eyes catching the light coming from the strand of white Christmas lights strung above their heads. “I take him everywhere.”
    That admittance from the handsome, rugged man looking at her, made Hannah smile and rethink if he could possibly be a murderer. Who keeps their childhood stuffed animal forever? A sensitive person, not a killer.
    “Don’t laugh, Hannah. Theodore knows everything about me. I worry that someone will steal him and force him to reveal all my secrets.” Cal’s face was serious, but his lips twitched at the corners. “Actually, my biggest secret is that I still have him. I don’t share that with many people. It makes me look kind of wimpy.”
    Olivia was talking to Theodore, whispering her secrets to the stuffed bear. “I hope we stay here. I like Cal and the boat and the chocolate candy canes and Nellie and most of all, I like holding Hannah’s hand.”
    Hannah’s eyes misted over. She hugged her