Read Online The Scariest Tail (A Wonder Cats Mystery Book 4) by Harper Lin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Harper Lin
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happening?”
“Yeah, what’s happening?” I couldn’t believe I had almost forgotten about my encounter with Blake at the Roy house.
“Jake said that Blake had been staking out their house just on the off chance he saw something unusual or noticed any kids lurking around up to no good. He hasn’t given up on the whole black-eyed kid thing being a hoax.” She looked around quickly, most likely to see if anyone from the Prestwick area was in the café.
When she didn’t see any Prestwickans, she continued. “While he was sitting there, he saw a man pull up in the driveway in a beat-up blue pickup truck.”
My heart froze. Had Blake mentioned he was sitting in my car with me? Had he mentioned how close we were when we ducked down in the seat to avoid being seen? I began to chew my lip nervously. My mind flashed back to those few minutes we’d been together. He’d smelled so good. I remembered seeing a little bit of a smile on his face. I thought I had. Hadn’t I?
“…and answered the door with a shotgun,” Bea was saying.
I guess Blake hadn’t said anything about me. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or hurt.
Bea continued with the story where I had left off with Blake following the car out of Prestwick.
“Were he and Lisa having an affair?” Aunt Astrid asked. Actually, that was the first thing that had popped into my mind, and I wasn’t really sure what that said about my aunt or me.
“Well, this is where it gets weird,” Bea said. “It turns out the guy’s name is Shawn Eshelman. He worked at the bodega in the lobby of the building John Roy’s law firm was in. The Roys had some car trouble, so for a couple of weeks, Lisa drove John to work and picked him up. Every once in a while, she’d go in to wait for him in the lobby, and Shawn would see her. He’d bring her a coffee or a water and chat her up.”
Bea continued. “Lisa thought he was being so nice because he knew John. That is until the day he came out of the store with a paper bag and handed it to her. Without thinking or understanding, she reached inside and pulled out a magazine. It was one of those filthy pornographic magazines they sell behind the counter.”
“What?” I yelled, causing everyone in the café to turn and look at me. “I’m sorry, everyone. I just found out Bea has never seen Star Wars. I know. Shocking.”
“Why do you insist on throwing me under the bus when you embarrass yourself?” Bea asked with her hand on her hip. “And I have so seen Star Wars.”
“I’m sorry, Bea. I just… I just… I can’t believe this story. Go on.”
“Okay, but control yourself, woman.”
Needless to say, Lisa had been upset by Shawn’s inappropriate behavior and went right to John. He complained to the owner of the bodega and got the guy fired. But what should have been the end of the situation was just the beginning.
“Lisa was obviously unnerved by the experience. So she stayed away from John’s office. But that didn’t stop this Shawn guy. He had found out where she lived and popped up in front of her at the grocery store one day.
“He kept saying he was sorry and that it was just a bad joke. Lisa thought the guy was sincere, accepted his apology and tried to go about her business. But then Shawn kept showing up at the gym and at the post office. It was getting to a point where Lisa didn’t want to leave the house, but she had started to feel as though he were watching that too. He was also telling people that they were dating.”
“This is like a soap opera.” Aunt Astrid said.
“Right? But because he liked to talk so much, he painted himself into a corner. He was telling someone who was close to the Roys that he had been with Lisa on a particular day, and this person knew it was a bold-faced lie. The Roys had actually been with him and his wife that particular day.”
“That had to shut him up.” I assumed a healthy dose of humiliation would be enough for me to tuck tail and run.
“Not even
“Yeah, what’s happening?” I couldn’t believe I had almost forgotten about my encounter with Blake at the Roy house.
“Jake said that Blake had been staking out their house just on the off chance he saw something unusual or noticed any kids lurking around up to no good. He hasn’t given up on the whole black-eyed kid thing being a hoax.” She looked around quickly, most likely to see if anyone from the Prestwick area was in the café.
When she didn’t see any Prestwickans, she continued. “While he was sitting there, he saw a man pull up in the driveway in a beat-up blue pickup truck.”
My heart froze. Had Blake mentioned he was sitting in my car with me? Had he mentioned how close we were when we ducked down in the seat to avoid being seen? I began to chew my lip nervously. My mind flashed back to those few minutes we’d been together. He’d smelled so good. I remembered seeing a little bit of a smile on his face. I thought I had. Hadn’t I?
“…and answered the door with a shotgun,” Bea was saying.
I guess Blake hadn’t said anything about me. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or hurt.
Bea continued with the story where I had left off with Blake following the car out of Prestwick.
“Were he and Lisa having an affair?” Aunt Astrid asked. Actually, that was the first thing that had popped into my mind, and I wasn’t really sure what that said about my aunt or me.
“Well, this is where it gets weird,” Bea said. “It turns out the guy’s name is Shawn Eshelman. He worked at the bodega in the lobby of the building John Roy’s law firm was in. The Roys had some car trouble, so for a couple of weeks, Lisa drove John to work and picked him up. Every once in a while, she’d go in to wait for him in the lobby, and Shawn would see her. He’d bring her a coffee or a water and chat her up.”
Bea continued. “Lisa thought he was being so nice because he knew John. That is until the day he came out of the store with a paper bag and handed it to her. Without thinking or understanding, she reached inside and pulled out a magazine. It was one of those filthy pornographic magazines they sell behind the counter.”
“What?” I yelled, causing everyone in the café to turn and look at me. “I’m sorry, everyone. I just found out Bea has never seen Star Wars. I know. Shocking.”
“Why do you insist on throwing me under the bus when you embarrass yourself?” Bea asked with her hand on her hip. “And I have so seen Star Wars.”
“I’m sorry, Bea. I just… I just… I can’t believe this story. Go on.”
“Okay, but control yourself, woman.”
Needless to say, Lisa had been upset by Shawn’s inappropriate behavior and went right to John. He complained to the owner of the bodega and got the guy fired. But what should have been the end of the situation was just the beginning.
“Lisa was obviously unnerved by the experience. So she stayed away from John’s office. But that didn’t stop this Shawn guy. He had found out where she lived and popped up in front of her at the grocery store one day.
“He kept saying he was sorry and that it was just a bad joke. Lisa thought the guy was sincere, accepted his apology and tried to go about her business. But then Shawn kept showing up at the gym and at the post office. It was getting to a point where Lisa didn’t want to leave the house, but she had started to feel as though he were watching that too. He was also telling people that they were dating.”
“This is like a soap opera.” Aunt Astrid said.
“Right? But because he liked to talk so much, he painted himself into a corner. He was telling someone who was close to the Roys that he had been with Lisa on a particular day, and this person knew it was a bold-faced lie. The Roys had actually been with him and his wife that particular day.”
“That had to shut him up.” I assumed a healthy dose of humiliation would be enough for me to tuck tail and run.
“Not even
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