Read Online Kicking the Habit by Kari Lee Townsend - Free Book Online

question anyone. Do I make myself
clear?”
    She stood as tall as she
could but didn’t even come to the pigheaded detective’s collarbone. Again she
wished for a step stool. Short people had rights too. Like
not having to put up with macho big guys acting like bullies. Maybe
platform shoes were the answer, but knowing her, she’d break an ankle chasing
some bad guy. She groaned and rubbed her neck. It already ached from looking up
so much.
    “I was simply having a
conversation with some grieving men.” If you could call, “Um … hi?” a
conversation, but she had to say something to hide her eavesdropping.
    “Well, don’t. You’re not
a detective, and you’re putting yourself at risk if anyone even suspects you’re
playing detective. Do you have a death wish?”
    “The only wish I have is
that you’d come to church with me and let me help you down from that high horse
you’re on. You obviously have a few issues of your own, Alistair .”
    Ace smirked. “Cute, but
we’re not talking about me.”
    “Maybe we should.” She
tried Father’s “look” on Ace.
    He frowned. “Something in your eye?”
    She sighed. “No.” Guess
she hadn’t perfected the look as much as she thought. Yet another thing she
hadn’t gotten right as a nun.
    “I still think you
should leave.” He glanced at the mayor, who was now talking to those same
politicians, and then back to her. “It’s not safe. Why don’t you let me take
you home?”
    She had a clue, she had
a plan, and that was a start. “Whatever you say.”
    Blond brows formed a
deep vee. “I say, you agreeing so easily worries the hell out of me. What
exactly are you up to, Cece?”
    A little zing zipped
through her at the sound of her name on his lips. She pushed the feeling aside,
determined not to lose focus. “Not a thing, Detective.” Not a thing she would
voice out loud, anyway.
    She’d learned that
little lesson the hard way.
***
    Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been
one day since my last confession. Pathetic, I know, but I can’t help it. Seeking
truth and justice for all is not an easy task, mind you. And it’s not like I actually
did the breaking; I simply did the entering. Trust me, I wasn’t the only one. Someone
else needs to have a talk with you as well. Maybe you could send him a sign and
tell him, because he doesn’t seem to be listening to me.
    Cece ate lunch with
Candy that afternoon at Millie’s Diner on Salvation Lane. Well, Cece ate. Candy
had been chatting for ten minutes on her cell phone. Candy pulled the phone
away from her ear. “Gran wants to know if Jackass has a tail?”
    The diner was remarkably
empty, given the town was swarming with people. Probably,
because Mrs. Sloan had opened her house to all for a reception following the
service. To all except Cece, that is. She’d made it quite clear that particular nun was not invited.
    Apparently, neither was
Eleanor Meriwether, because she was the only other patron in the diner. Come to
think of it, she hadn’t been at the wake either, yet supposedly she had a thing
for the senator. Several people suspected she was the one the senator had been having
an affair with, but nothing had ever been confirmed. Maybe she hadn’t wanted to
cause a scene by showing up at the wake and making Mrs. Sloan uncomfortable.
    Just then, a man Cece
had never seen before came into the diner and sat down at Eleanor’s table. He
looked to be around her age—mid-forties—with salt-and-pepper hair and glasses.
He wore khakis and a sweater vest over a button-down shirt—basically, your
everyday average Joe. Eleanor looked up and the sad expression on her face was
instantly replaced with a beaming smile. The question was: What did it all
mean?
    “Earth
to Cece. I said Gran wants to know if Jackass has a tail,” Candy repeated.
    “Huh? Oh, sorry. Just a sec.” Cece pulled out her prayer book and used the
monogrammed pen Granny and Candy had given her to jot down on one of the pages
a