Dying for a Date Read Online Free PDF

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    FIVE
    The thump of the heavy oak door slamming shut couldn't mask the thuds of two children pounding down the stairs. Ben landed first, Jenna close on his heels.
    "What happened? Why were those detectives here?"
    I curled an arm around each child's waist. It was time for full disclosure.
    "Okay kids. My dinner date Saturday night turned into a disaster. I locked my keys and my cell in the Prius and my date offered to let me sit in his car and use his phone to call AAA. He got a little too friendly, so I hit him in the nose with his cell phone. It turns out someone murdered him in his car later that night and the police wanted some details from me."
    Ben bounced up and down. “Murder. Sweet."
    "Mother, that is so gross,” Jenna said. “How could you do this to me? What if my friends hear about it?"
    "Hey Mom, can I tell Jimmy?"
    "No. Let's forget about this incident. I had nothing to do with the murder and we don't need to share this information with any of our friends. Now go upstairs and get ready for bed."
    The best advice I could give myself was to forget about Garrett. If he could attack me on a first date, imagine what other nasty things he was involved in. He probably had a drug habit and his supplier did him in. That theory worked for me.
    My thoughts turned to Detective Hunter's parting remark but the shrill sound of the phone interrupted my reverie. I peeked at Caller ID. Mother.
    "Laurel, dear, how was your weekend?” I visualized my mother, from the top of her frosted blonde flawlessly cut hair, to her frosted pink pedicured toenails.
    "Hectic.” Talk about the understatement of the year.
    "Honey, you have no idea how hectic life can be unless you're in the real estate business. It's non-stop twenty-four/seven. I sold two of my listings this weekend but of course they were priced realistically. Something the other agents need to learn in this kind of market."
    I sighed with relief. I would receive a short lecture on the foibles of the real estate industry from the thirty-five year veteran on the other end of the line and hopefully escape any maternal nagging.
    She paused for a second. Uh oh.
    "Laurel, I heard the strangest rumor tonight. Since the rumor included your name and the term ‘corpse’ I thought there might be something you wanted to share with me."
    Not really, but in a small town like ours who knew what kind of stories would be flying around. I gave her a brief update on the demise of my date. She was quiet for a few seconds before she let me have it. “I told you signing up for that Love Club would be a huge mistake. It's undoubtedly full of psychopaths and con men."
    My mother. The optimist.
    "Mother, I keep telling you the agency is designed for professionals. It's too difficult for single working people to meet each other, especially here in the foothills. You wouldn't believe the horror stories my friends have shared about on-line dating.” I grabbed one of the glossy agency brochures and read the verbiage out loud. “The Love Club is a highly intellectual process for discovering your future mate."
    "Hmmph. Well, I wish you would forget about that stupid club. I don't think it's safe. You know, there's a new agent in my office you should meet. Peter is about your age, single and highly successful. He recently transferred from the Folsom office. Wouldn't you rather go out with someone I can vouch for?"
    Would I rather go out with someone my mother worked with every day? No, not really. We wrangled over the merits of the dating agency for a few more minutes. I finally told her it was late and time to say goodnight to the kids. I hung up the phone and trudged up the stairs to Ben's room. At his age he didn't need me to tuck him in bed, but it's part of our nightly regimen and something we both look forward to each evening.
    I crossed the threshold into Ben's unique fantasy world. Posters of a prehistoric Triceratops and a Brontosaurus hung between glossy prints of Chewbacca