Read Online Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr - Free Book Online

girlfriend.”
    “No kidding?” Luke put out a hand. “How do you do, Netta. Hey,” he said. “I think I met you once before. Did you work at that grocery store with Art?”
    “They took her out of that store, Luke!” Art said excitedly. “They took everybody out of that store! Stan who owns the store? He got a big punishment for doing things wrong! Netta said he had to pay money and he was mad! ”
    “Very…mmm…mad,” Netta said quietly.
    “How sad for old Stan,” Luke said with a wide smile. “I wish I could feel sorry for him. So, Netta, where are you living now?”
    “In a…mmm…house,” she said. “With Ellen and Bo. In Fortuna. I help in the bakery.”
    “And why are you at Costco today?” Luke asked.
    “We get our…mmm…stuff at Costco. And Ellen lets me…mmm…shop.”
    “Art,” Luke said, “why don’t you buy Netta a hot dog or pizza slice and a cola or something. Sit down. Catch up on the news. I’ll get the rest of my stuff very slowly. Take your time.”
    Art just stared at him.
    Netta took his hand. “Let’s get…mmm…hot dog, Art.”
    “Go on, Art. Get a hot dog. Talk with Netta awhile.”
    Art seemed a little frozen, so Luke turned his laden cart away and walked off quickly, getting out of his space.
    Of course, Art had money, and he managed it very well. Luke would never reach into his pocket and give the man money, especially in front of a woman. Art got a disability check from Social Security, some state aid, and Luke paid him for his work. Art paid Luke a bit for the cabin he used as his home, but no money ever changed hands for things like groceries. Sometimes when Art had a little money left over, he wanted to buy something for Luke or Shelby, and that was all right, but Luke kept it within limits. Art was building a savings account, and when he showed Luke the growing balance, he beamed with pride.
    Luke wasn’t sure about what Netta’s issues were. She didn’t have Down’s; she had a slight hesitation in her speech, not quite a stutter but more an “mmm” while looking for the right word. He thought maybe she was a little slow, but wasn’t entirely sure about how disabled. Yet she must have some disability if she’d been in a group home with Art.
    But how unexpected—Art had had a girlfriend. Luke thought he might’ve mentioned someone named Netta, but surely no more than once. He hadn’t been pining or anything.
    There was a fast-food area in the front of the store, on the other side of the checkout lanes, so Luke steered clear of it. He wasted a good half hour looking at cameras. What the hell—the baby was coming soon and he needed a better camera. By the time he was done, he had a video camera, a digital still camera, a large-screen laptop and a color printer to go with it. He probably should have talked to Shelby about that first, but he was still being trained as a husband. Fortunately, Shelby was very patient with him.
    He went to the back of the store and quickly grabbed the meat, produce and veggies he had mentally planned to buy. Time to check out.
    Once again, he didn’t see Art anywhere.
    Lord, this was getting ridiculous. He’d never had this problem with Art before. Luke looked all around the fast-food area and Art was definitely not there. He’d have to look around the whole warehouse again. First, he decided, he’d put his groceries in the truck, then go back inside in search of Art.
    But when he got outside, Art was standing there, staring into the massive parking lot. “Well, hey, I was wondering where you were. Did you have a nice visit with Netta?”
    Art turned abruptly. He looked a little shell-shocked. “She was my girlfriend.”
    “So you said,” Luke observed. “Come on, let’s put this stuff in the truck. Did you have a nice visit?”
    “She left. She had to go with that person, Ellen. Where she lives now.”
    “But did you have a nice visit?”
    “She was my girlfriend,” Art said again. “I didn’t see her in a