A House to Die For (A Darby Farr Mystery)

A House to Die For (A Darby Farr Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

Book: A House to Die For (A Darby Farr Mystery) Read Online Free PDF
Author: Vicki Doudera
met once a month to decide issues of licensure and zoning. These islanders would listen to the proposal
to modify the zoning code, as well as for a permit to serve and sell
alcohol, and then they would vote. It was a process as old as democracy itself, and one, Darby realized with a sinking heart, over
which she had no control.
    She leaned back in the airplane seat and closed her eyes. Worry
was settling like a wet blanket on her shoulders, weighing her
down with a damp feeling of doom. She exhaled slowly and tried
to relax, but one question kept pounding at her brain. What in the
world am I doing?

Two

    TINA AMES WAS TALL and thin, with a long, straight nose and large
dark sunglasses, which she sported inside the terminal although
it was nearly ten P.M. She carried a large turquoise pocketbook
over one shoulder and a can of Diet Coke in her hand. Her hair
was a mass of red curls in a shade that nearly matched her long
fingernails.
    "Knew it was you," she said, extending her free hand and shaking Darby's vigorously.
    "How? Because I'm the only Asian woman in the airport?"
    Tina gave her a sharp look. "Nah, I've seen your picture. You
look pretty much the same as the one Jane's got in her office. Still
got the long hair, the pretty almond eyes..." She contemplated
Darby for a moment and then cocked her head to the side, like an
egret on the lookout for a school of minnows. "You look a little
older. Wiser, maybe. Where's your other bag?"
    She lifted her duffel. "I've got everything with me. I'm only
here for a few days."

    Tina Ames pursed her lips and said nothing. She turned and
began to walk toward the exit doors, her heels clicking on the hard
floor of the terminal.
    Darby watched her walk away. After a few seconds, Tina stopped
and turned around.
    "Let's get a move on. You're on the clock, you know."
    "When is my flight back?"
    "You really want to discuss this now?"
    "I do. You've dragged me all the way across the country. I'm not
going a step farther until I know when my flight back is booked."
    Tina shook her head slowly and looked off to the side. "Well,
that depends."
    "On what?"
    "On whether you plan to stay for your aunt's funeral."
    "She's not-"
    "Not yet. But the doctor says it could be any time." She dabbed
at her eyes with a tissue and Darby could see that beneath the sunglasses they were red from crying.
    The two women stood for a moment. Darby absorbed the news
of her aunt's condition and tried to think about her options. She
was a master negotiator, and part of her talent was knowing when
to back down-at least for the moment. "Look, I'm sorry that my
aunt's health is failing. I'm sorry that she didn't have anyone else to
call. But I do have a life and career back in California, and I hope
you understand that I want to be on that plane back to the West
Coast as soon as possible." She approached the distraught woman,
placing a hand on her shoulder and giving a gentle squeeze. "I'm
sorry if we got off to a bad start. Let's go"

    Tina sniffled and led Darby out of the airport to the parking
garage, where a large GMC truck gleamed in the overhead lights.
"Meet Thelma," she said, with a flourish and a brave attempt at
lightening the mood. "She's loaded with every option from heated
seats to a GPS system, and she's your aunt's pride and joy."
    Darby regarded the massive vehicle. Her aunt had a penchant
for driving enormous trucks with female names. "Jane's taste in
transportation hasn't changed much in ten years," she noted. "I left
Maine in Reba, and the truck before her was Scarlet."
    Tina forced a chuckle. She unlocked the doors and the two
women climbed in. She dabbed at her eyes again and gave a sad
little hiccup.
    "Are you okay to drive?" Darby asked.
    She nodded and started the truck.
    The two women were quiet for a while and Darby suspected
that Tina was making every effort to compose herself. Finally she
took a deep breath. "I'll say this to you just once, Darby,
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