Read Online One Dead Cookie by Virginia Lowell - Free Book Online Page A

in Chatterley Heightsmy whole life. I know everyone’s name, the names of their children, their grandchildren,
     their ex-spouses…but I don’t have any recollection of your new clerk. What was her
     name again?”
    “Jennifer Elsworth.”
    “Jennie? I recognized her,” Jason said with his mouth full of key lime pie. His family
     members stared at him, which didn’t appear to faze him. As his fork aimed toward the
     pie, Olivia slid the pan away. “Hey!” Jason’s long arm shot toward the pan, but Olivia
     whisked it beyond his reach.
    Allan pushed back his chair. “Great dinner, Ellie. I’ve got work to do, so I’ll leave
     all of you to chat about, um, whatever.” Spunky perked up his ears and watched Allan
     with huge, hopeful eyes. “Want to come along, little guy?” Allan asked. Spunky flapped
     his tail against the floor.
    “Sorry, Livie,” Allan said. “I started stocking one of my desk drawers with doggie
     treats for when you’re out of town and Spunky stays with us. I guess he remembers.”
    “Trust me, he will never forget. Go ahead, Spunks. Maybe I’ll let the nice man keep
     you forever.” Olivia was only slightly hurt when Spunky reacted to her threat by leaping
     to all fours and bounding over to Allan.
    Allan gave his wife a peck on the cheek and headed down the hallway to his home office
     with Spunky trotting close behind.
    “You’re excused,” Ellie said to his retreating back. “Poor Allan, he gets so bored
     talking about anything but business.”
    “Okay, Jason, we need details,” Olivia said. “No more pie until you tell us how you
     recognized Jennifer.”
    “Geez. All right, but don’t blame me if I pass out from hunger.” Jason pushed back
     his chair and stretched out hislegs. “I don’t remember her last name, but Elsworth doesn’t sound familiar.”
    “But how come you know her and we don’t?”
    “I didn’t meet her in Chatterley Heights,” Jason said. “I’m pretty sure she grew up
     in Twiterton. I only met her once, but I do remember it was at a football game, an
     away game at Twiterton High. That was the year I played on the football team, my junior
     year, remember?”
    “I wasn’t here,” Olivia said.
    Ellie reached across the table and patted her son’s hand. “I was very proud of you,
     dear.”
    “Thanks, Mom, but I sucked at football. I was okay at basketball, but football is
     for guys who get fed enough.”
    “You can have the pie back when you tell us everything you know about Jennifer,” Olivia
     said.
    Jason groaned. “I hardly know anything except she was cute and kind of shy. She was
     dating my friend, Kevin, the Chatterley Heights quarterback. He never said how they
     met. I was with my girlfriend that night. She had her license, plus her parents’ car,
     so we hung out after the game. Jennie didn’t say much.”
    “If she didn’t say much, why would you remember her?” Olivia asked.
    “Like I said, she was cute. Also, Kevin was being sort of a jerk, so I felt bad for
     her. I never saw her again after that.”
    “What did she look like then?”
    “She was a blonde,” Jason said, “and she had a good figure. Kind of quiet, like I
     said.”
    “Did Kevin and Jennifer break up? Is that why you never saw her again?” Olivia found
     herself more and more curious about her reserved clerk with so much cookie cutter
     expertise.
    Jason shrugged. “Maybe, I don’t know.”
    “Kevin didn’t tell you?”
    “Well, I sort of never spoke to Kevin again.”
    “Why not?” Olivia felt uneasy about pushing Jason. He seemed uncomfortable, and she
     wondered if more had happened that evening than he wanted to reveal.
    When Jason didn’t respond, Ellie said, “That was a difficult time for your brother,
     Livie.”
    “It’s okay, Mom.” Jason hunched over the table and stared at his intertwined fingers.
     “I was a little out of control back then. That night the four of us sneaked off after
     the game. Kevin and I were