Read Online Rip Tide (A Ripple Effect Cozy Mystery, Book 2) by Jeanne Glidewell - Free Book Online
Authors: Jeanne Glidewell
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Rip could respond. She placed the plate on the coffee table directly in front of Rip and calmly asked, "Can I get you anything else, Dad? How about you, Mom? I've got some fresh grapefruit from the valley."
Rip shook his head, and I replied for both of us, "This is more than enough for us, sweetheart. Have a seat and relax. How are you holding up with Cooper's death, and all?"
"I'm fine. Never cared much for him to begin with, Mom." Reggie's quick response made it clear she wouldn't be losing too much sleep over Cooper Claypool's grim demise. I listened as she elaborated. "It seemed like Milo and Cooper had been disagreeing on every single business decision the last several months. It's kept Milo so uptight that he's been hard to live with at times. Recently, he's been upset so much of the time and wigging out over the tiniest things. When he's stressed out, he's not much fun to be around. Sure you guys don't need anything else?"
"I'm good," we both replied in stereo. It was evident Reggie didn't want to go into details about the business decisions behind the frequent disputes between the two men, so I let the subject drop. It occurred to me she might not even know what the problematic issues were.
"Okay. Just checking, in case you changed your mind about trying some of my green tea."
"No, but thank you, sweetheart." And, by the way, dear. Your diet cranberry and pomegranate green tea sounds absolutely god-awful .
"Hey, Dad. Did I tell you we decided against buying a new car?"
"Oh, really? How come?" I asked. I was curious if her "we decided" might be more a matter of "Milo decided for us."
Her next remark sounded stilted and rehearsed but I was relieved to hear it. "My car is still in like-new condition and—"
"That's what I tried to tell—umph—" Rip exhaled loudly as I elbowed him in the ribs. He spat out a morsel of brownie he hadn't swallowed yet.
Ignoring her father, Reggie added, "I don't really need a new one right now, anyway. Maybe in a couple of years or so we'll reconsider getting a new one."
"That's nice. I'm sure that's probably the best decision." I tried to be as nonchalant as I could, as if their decision to put off buying a new vehicle didn't matter to me one way or the other. Rip, however, tends to be a little less subtle.
"Damn straight!" He exclaimed. "Buying a new car right now would be downright foolish. We tried to tell you umpteen times that—umpth—"
I elbowed him in the sweet spot again before he could say any more. It caused him to choke a little on the brownie he'd just stuffed into his mouth, but it effectively shut him up. "Zip it," I said under my breath. I didn't want him to say anything that might provoke Regina's evil twin sister to re-emerge. As he'd been speaking, I could see Reggie's ire building with each word. I swear I saw a tiny smoke ring drift out of her left ear. No sense fanning the fire after we'd almost distinguished it.
With perfect timing, Milo walked into the room and took a seat in a recliner. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept at all the previous night. His discomfort was also apparent. His eyes darted around the room, never settling on any one spot for more than a few seconds or making contact with anyone else's in the room. Finally, after taking a deep breath, Milo spoke. "You've probably heard the Coast Guard located Coop's boat this morning and towed it in to the marina for processing."
Rip nodded, but made no comment.
"Um, well, uh, I want..." Milo seemed unable to form a full sentence. He looked around the room.
Impatient, Rip asked, "What is it, son? What do you want?"
Is Rip thinking the same thing I am ? I wondered, my entire body tensing. Could Milo be preparing to turn himself in to the authorities for murdering his best friend ? He'd appeared sincere in his grief yesterday. Could he be a better actor than we gave him credit for? I watched as he tried to speak coherently.
"Um, well, you see. I, um, wanted to thank you for coming
Rip shook his head, and I replied for both of us, "This is more than enough for us, sweetheart. Have a seat and relax. How are you holding up with Cooper's death, and all?"
"I'm fine. Never cared much for him to begin with, Mom." Reggie's quick response made it clear she wouldn't be losing too much sleep over Cooper Claypool's grim demise. I listened as she elaborated. "It seemed like Milo and Cooper had been disagreeing on every single business decision the last several months. It's kept Milo so uptight that he's been hard to live with at times. Recently, he's been upset so much of the time and wigging out over the tiniest things. When he's stressed out, he's not much fun to be around. Sure you guys don't need anything else?"
"I'm good," we both replied in stereo. It was evident Reggie didn't want to go into details about the business decisions behind the frequent disputes between the two men, so I let the subject drop. It occurred to me she might not even know what the problematic issues were.
"Okay. Just checking, in case you changed your mind about trying some of my green tea."
"No, but thank you, sweetheart." And, by the way, dear. Your diet cranberry and pomegranate green tea sounds absolutely god-awful .
"Hey, Dad. Did I tell you we decided against buying a new car?"
"Oh, really? How come?" I asked. I was curious if her "we decided" might be more a matter of "Milo decided for us."
Her next remark sounded stilted and rehearsed but I was relieved to hear it. "My car is still in like-new condition and—"
"That's what I tried to tell—umph—" Rip exhaled loudly as I elbowed him in the ribs. He spat out a morsel of brownie he hadn't swallowed yet.
Ignoring her father, Reggie added, "I don't really need a new one right now, anyway. Maybe in a couple of years or so we'll reconsider getting a new one."
"That's nice. I'm sure that's probably the best decision." I tried to be as nonchalant as I could, as if their decision to put off buying a new vehicle didn't matter to me one way or the other. Rip, however, tends to be a little less subtle.
"Damn straight!" He exclaimed. "Buying a new car right now would be downright foolish. We tried to tell you umpteen times that—umpth—"
I elbowed him in the sweet spot again before he could say any more. It caused him to choke a little on the brownie he'd just stuffed into his mouth, but it effectively shut him up. "Zip it," I said under my breath. I didn't want him to say anything that might provoke Regina's evil twin sister to re-emerge. As he'd been speaking, I could see Reggie's ire building with each word. I swear I saw a tiny smoke ring drift out of her left ear. No sense fanning the fire after we'd almost distinguished it.
With perfect timing, Milo walked into the room and took a seat in a recliner. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept at all the previous night. His discomfort was also apparent. His eyes darted around the room, never settling on any one spot for more than a few seconds or making contact with anyone else's in the room. Finally, after taking a deep breath, Milo spoke. "You've probably heard the Coast Guard located Coop's boat this morning and towed it in to the marina for processing."
Rip nodded, but made no comment.
"Um, well, uh, I want..." Milo seemed unable to form a full sentence. He looked around the room.
Impatient, Rip asked, "What is it, son? What do you want?"
Is Rip thinking the same thing I am ? I wondered, my entire body tensing. Could Milo be preparing to turn himself in to the authorities for murdering his best friend ? He'd appeared sincere in his grief yesterday. Could he be a better actor than we gave him credit for? I watched as he tried to speak coherently.
"Um, well, you see. I, um, wanted to thank you for coming
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