“It’s a beautiful day, Becca. Makes you glad to be alive,” Granddad said and reached down and stroked Higgins as the cat sat on the homemade cat bed on wheels that Granddad had made for him.
“Martin, here’s a fresh mint julep for you just the way you like.” The widow Smith handed my grandfather a glass that tinkled with ice cubes and had green stuff sticking out the top.
“You are a jewel, Louisa Mae.” He took the glass and smiled at Edna’s mother.
“Oh, Martin, you old sweetie. You make a girl blush.” Her cheeks reddened, and she fanned herself with a lacy fan right out of “Gone with the Wind.”
Edna emerged from the house with a tray full of sandwiches without crusts. Dr. Dick trailed behind. I noticed that he followed her like a love-sick puppy. She passed the tray around and then placed it on a table in the center of the deck. “Anyone need drink refills?” she asked and held up a pitcher of lemonade.
“I think we’re good.” I held up my full glass and pointed to Granddad’s half-full mint julep.
“Mother, did you lace Marty’s drink?” Edna faced Louisa Mae and gave her one of those mother-daughter looks.
“Why, whatever do you mean? I fixed Martin’s drink the way I know he likes it.” And I swear she batted her eyes at my grandfather. Edna and I exchanged a brief glance that conveyed more than words ever could.
Dr. Dick helped Edna to her chair, and then took up a stance directly behind her. “Dickie, please don’t hover. I’m not going anywhere. Have a seat.” She patted the chair next to her and he dutifully took a seat.
“Don’t you have something you’d like to say to Becca?” she prompted.
He cleared his throat. “First, I want to thank you for risking your life to unmask the real killer. That was very stupid.” Edna elbowed him and he continued. “But we’re very grateful.”
Edna smiled and nodded in my direction. “Go on, Dickie,” she urged.
“I realize that you over-heard my comments about your job performance at Daley & Palmer,” he started, and I winced at the memory of his harsh words. “Marcy and I have talked at length and we’ve decided to give you another chance.”
“Dickie has something else to say to you, Becca,” Edna said as she leaned toward me. “Don’t you, Dickie?”
He did that annoying throat clearing thing again. “Yes. We’ve decided to give you a raise. It’ll be in your next paycheck.”
Now it was Edna’s turn to clear her throat.
“What I meant to say is there will be a small bonus in your next check, and your increase will be effective retroactively to the first of last month.”
Granddad clapped his hands together. “It’s about time you people realized all that my Becca does for you. Why that place couldn’t run without her.”
“Granddad!” Sometimes I wished he would keep his thoughts to himself. But secretly I was pleased that he thought so much of my skills.
“Well, while we’re making announcements, I have one I’d like to share.” Louisa Mae stood up like a queen addressing her subjects. “It’s so good to have my dear daughter home, safe and sound, not to mention having her name cleared of any wrong-doing. It’s also good to see Dick back in her life. You know I always thought you two were perfect for each other.”
“Mother!”
“Edna, let me finish. I’ve talked to the other children, and they agree with my decision. With all of the turmoil that Edna’s been through lately, losing a husband, although he was a lying, cheating…”
“Mother!”
“All right, dear. Anyway, I’ve decided to extend my visit here in Richmond. Indefinitely.”
Edna fingered the strand of pearls around her neck and for a split second I thought she’d snap the string holding them. I almost dropped my glass of lemonade, and Dr. Dick appeared to be frozen in place. The only two people who seemed thrilled with the announcement were my Granddad and Louisa Mae, herself. Higgins slept through it, thanks to the pain medication he still needed, but I didn’t think he’d be any more thrilled than the rest of us were at the news.
“Well, don’t everyone speak at once.” Louisa Mae seemed offended at our lack of enthusiasm.
Granddad reacted first. “Atlanta’s loss is certainly Richmond’s gain.”
“Thank you, Martin.”
“I’m fine, Mother. There is no reason for you to extend your stay,” Edna said, hastily adding, “Not that I don’t appreciate the thought.”
“Indefinitely,” I muttered more to myself than to anyone.
Higgins raised his head and whimpered. “Yeah, buddy, I hear your pain.” I reached down and stroked his fur on the side without the broken ribs and legs.
The doorbell rang and before anyone else could move, Edna hurried to answer it. An uneasy quiet hung over the group.
“Nonsense, R.J., you are not interrupting anything.” Edna ushered Ryder and Daisy onto the deck. Ryder appeared solemn, and Daisy seemed like her usual pre-shooting self. She spotted Higgins and rushed to his side.
“Poor baby kitty,” she said and bent down to stroke the injured animal. Higgins opened his eyes, and I could tell he recognized Daisy. He closed his eyes and allowed her to rub him. If I listened closely, I could hear his gentle purrs. It was a comforting sound.
“Sorry to interrupt your gathering,” Ryder remained standing. “Just wanted to let you all know that Ancarrow passed away this morning.”
I flashed a look at Daisy and then back to Ryder.
“No one will be charged in his death. The shooting was in self-defense. And Mrs. O’Malley, the police have officially exonerated you for both of the murders he perpetrated. An announcement will go out to the media today.”
“My prayers have been answered. May he burn in hell,” Louisa Mae murmured, and we all glanced in her direction.
“Mother, enough!” Edna really was going to break that poor strand of pearls the way she tugged on them. I figured they had no chance of lasting through her mother’s extended stay in Richmond without a good restringing.
“Well, Edna, the man got what he deserved. The idea of your name being connected to this scandalous situation is almost too much for a mother to bear.” Granddad patted Louisa Mae’s hand, and there was a momentary look that passed between the two of them that made my stomach clench. I so did not want Edna’s mother to be my step-grandmother. Maybe I’d have to get a string of pearls of my own to finger.
Ryder helped his sister to her feet. “Time to go, Daisy.”
“Kitty better.” She smiled.
“Higgins is tough. He might have used up one of his lives, but he’s got eight more,” Granddad proclaimed proudly. I wasn’t sure if Daisy understood the concept or not.
“Stay out of trouble, Becca,” Ryder winked at me and my stomach clenched in an entirely different way. “See ya around.”
“Sooner than you think,” I replied. “I’ll be back at work on Monday.”
He flashed a smile that could have melted the coldest heart. “Good. I’m looking forward to it.”
Not half as much as I was. I had plans. Big plans. Daley & Palmer was giving me a second chance. And I was going to make the most of it.
I’d also managed to look up the words Max said to me in Ryder’s office. Turns out moya lyubov meant my love in Russian. Maybe he’d meant it when he’d said it, or maybe he’d said it because he was frightened I was hurt. It was going to be interesting to figure out which it was.
I was done with famine and into the feast. Two hunky men were interested in me. And I planned on getting to know both of them better. Each had secrets. Secrets I wanted to uncover. Because nothing intrigued me more than a secret.
Unless it was murder.
Thank you so much for reading Your Eight O’clock is Dead. If you’ve enjoyed it, please leave a review for me on the site where you purchased the book. I really appreciate it.
Want to read more of Becca’s misadventures? Discover what happens when Becca becomes involved in the world of ice skating and murder in the second book in The River City Mysteries, Your Time is Up. An excerpt follows.