Read Online Sweet Friend of Mine (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 8) by J A Whiting - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J A Whiting
Ads: Link
ask Henry some questions. “You mentioned that Ryan played in a band when he was in high school. Are you a musician, too?” Angie asked.
“Me?” Henry blinked. “No.”
“Did you know the members of the band Ryan was in?”
“Some of them. Yeah.”
“Did Ryan keep in contact with them after he left for college?”
“I’m not sure. He might have. Probably.”
Angie asked, “Do you know Darren Wilton? He was in the band with Ryan?”
“Yeah, sure. Darren’s a few years older than us. He has a new band. They’re doing really well. They’ve been on the radio.”
Angie gave a nod. “Does Darren still live around here?”
“He moved to Boston, but he comes back here pretty often, I hear. He and his folks lived in Silver Cove.”
“Do his parents still live there?”
“I don’t think so.”
“How did Ryan and Darren get along?”
“Okay, I guess. They worked on the music all the time. They weren’t best friends or anything… more like business partners.”
“Why did the band break up?”
“Some guys were going to college. Some guys wanted to head to LA, New York, Boston.” Henry shrugged. “You know, people had different agendas. Ryan’s father would have had a fit if Ryan didn’t go to college. Mr. Allen wasn’t much for Ryan pursuing music as a career.”
“Was that something Ryan wanted to do, pursue music?” Jenna spoke up. “Did he have hopes for a music career?”
Henry turned to Jenna. “I think he would have liked to. Ryan was good, really good. He wrote songs, was a terrific musician.”
“How did your friend get on with his parents?” Finch sat in the upholstered chair holding his cane in front of him between his knees.
“The usual.” Ryan shrugged a shoulder. “He knew what his dad expected so Ryan knew what to say and do to appease him.”
“Was Mr. Allen overbearing with his son?” Jenna asked.
“Mr. Allen had been in the military. He was used to taking and giving orders. He acted that way with Ryan. He was strict about who he hung out with, was strict about girls. I got the impression that Mr. Allen thought things should be a certain way and expected everyone in the family to step up and make it that way.” Henry shrugged. “Very different from my family.”
“Did Ryan resent it?”
“He didn’t talk about it. That was the way it was with his dad, not much he could do about it.”
Angie asked, “Did Ryan date in high school?”
Henry shifted his eyes away and looked out the window. “Some.”
Angie suspected that Henry was trying to avoid the subject. “Was there someone he liked at school?”
Henry ran his hand over his short hair. “He dated a girl for a while, until his dad forced him to stop.”
“Why did he make Ryan stop?” Jenna tilted her head in question.
Henry made a face. “Mr. Allen thought the girl was too low class. That’s what he said. He didn’t want Ryan getting stuck with some girl who was beneath his son.”
“So Ryan stopped seeing her?” Angie wondered if the young man would give up on someone just to please his father.
“Ryan did what he was told. That girl wasn’t right for Ryan anyway. She took too much of his time.”
“What was her name?” Angie had the slightest feeling that maybe Ryan hadn’t stopped seeing the girl at all.
“Charlotte. Charlotte Breeze.”
“Does she still live around here?” Jenna leaned forward in her seat.
“I don’t think so.” Henry checked the time on his phone. “I’d better get going.”
Euclid glared at the young man as he made his way to the foyer.
Angie wasn’t sure why, but she had the distinct impression that Henry knew where Charlotte Breeze lived … and that it might be helpful to the case if they found the young woman.
10
T he Roselands and Mr. Finch settled on the family room sofas with bowls of popcorn to watch a movie. Euclid sat with Courtney in the easy chair and whenever he flicked his orange plume of a tail, it hit softly against her cheek.
“Me?” Henry blinked. “No.”
“Did you know the members of the band Ryan was in?”
“Some of them. Yeah.”
“Did Ryan keep in contact with them after he left for college?”
“I’m not sure. He might have. Probably.”
Angie asked, “Do you know Darren Wilton? He was in the band with Ryan?”
“Yeah, sure. Darren’s a few years older than us. He has a new band. They’re doing really well. They’ve been on the radio.”
Angie gave a nod. “Does Darren still live around here?”
“He moved to Boston, but he comes back here pretty often, I hear. He and his folks lived in Silver Cove.”
“Do his parents still live there?”
“I don’t think so.”
“How did Ryan and Darren get along?”
“Okay, I guess. They worked on the music all the time. They weren’t best friends or anything… more like business partners.”
“Why did the band break up?”
“Some guys were going to college. Some guys wanted to head to LA, New York, Boston.” Henry shrugged. “You know, people had different agendas. Ryan’s father would have had a fit if Ryan didn’t go to college. Mr. Allen wasn’t much for Ryan pursuing music as a career.”
“Was that something Ryan wanted to do, pursue music?” Jenna spoke up. “Did he have hopes for a music career?”
Henry turned to Jenna. “I think he would have liked to. Ryan was good, really good. He wrote songs, was a terrific musician.”
“How did your friend get on with his parents?” Finch sat in the upholstered chair holding his cane in front of him between his knees.
“The usual.” Ryan shrugged a shoulder. “He knew what his dad expected so Ryan knew what to say and do to appease him.”
“Was Mr. Allen overbearing with his son?” Jenna asked.
“Mr. Allen had been in the military. He was used to taking and giving orders. He acted that way with Ryan. He was strict about who he hung out with, was strict about girls. I got the impression that Mr. Allen thought things should be a certain way and expected everyone in the family to step up and make it that way.” Henry shrugged. “Very different from my family.”
“Did Ryan resent it?”
“He didn’t talk about it. That was the way it was with his dad, not much he could do about it.”
Angie asked, “Did Ryan date in high school?”
Henry shifted his eyes away and looked out the window. “Some.”
Angie suspected that Henry was trying to avoid the subject. “Was there someone he liked at school?”
Henry ran his hand over his short hair. “He dated a girl for a while, until his dad forced him to stop.”
“Why did he make Ryan stop?” Jenna tilted her head in question.
Henry made a face. “Mr. Allen thought the girl was too low class. That’s what he said. He didn’t want Ryan getting stuck with some girl who was beneath his son.”
“So Ryan stopped seeing her?” Angie wondered if the young man would give up on someone just to please his father.
“Ryan did what he was told. That girl wasn’t right for Ryan anyway. She took too much of his time.”
“What was her name?” Angie had the slightest feeling that maybe Ryan hadn’t stopped seeing the girl at all.
“Charlotte. Charlotte Breeze.”
“Does she still live around here?” Jenna leaned forward in her seat.
“I don’t think so.” Henry checked the time on his phone. “I’d better get going.”
Euclid glared at the young man as he made his way to the foyer.
Angie wasn’t sure why, but she had the distinct impression that Henry knew where Charlotte Breeze lived … and that it might be helpful to the case if they found the young woman.
10
T he Roselands and Mr. Finch settled on the family room sofas with bowls of popcorn to watch a movie. Euclid sat with Courtney in the easy chair and whenever he flicked his orange plume of a tail, it hit softly against her cheek.
Similar Books
