Hope Callaghan - Garden Girls 05 - Eye Spy Read Online Free PDF

place,” she said.
    Gloria nodded.  “Yeah.  She’s shook up about this whole investigation and didn’t want to be alone.”
    Gloria jerked her head in the direction of the post office.  “You hear anything from the diners about what’s going on?”
    Dot nodded.  “They’re saying it was some kind of fraud or money laundering or something.”
    Gloria furrowed her brows.  She didn’t want to tell Dot what Kenny had told her.  At least not yet.  She changed the subject.  “Ruth and I are going to have a yard sale next week out at the farm.  On Monday.  We were wondering if you or any of the other girls have stuff you want to get rid of…”
    Dot swiped at a stray strand of hair.  “Boy, do I ever!  I have tons of junk.  Funny you should mention that. I was thinking of having a sale myself.”
    “Just bring it by my place when you get ready.  We’re going to store it in the barn.” Gloria turned to go.  “And if you hear anything else about the post office, let me know.”
    Dot winked.  “Gotcha!  Say, is Ruth going to stay with you until they let her go back to work?”
    “Yeah.  I didn’t have the heart to tell her no.”
    Dot wrinkled her forehead.  “I’m not sure I could do that.  Aren’t you afraid she’s going to start snooping through your stuff?”
    Gloria’s shoulders sagged.  It wasn’t that she had anything to hide or some deep, dark secret she kept from the world.  It was more a sense of invasion.  Plus, Gloria was used to living alone…
    Gloria hopped back in Anabelle and headed home. She breathed a sigh of relief that Ruth hadn’t come back yet.  Hopefully, the whole yard sale project would keep her busy.  Gloria herself could see the days ahead would be dizzying.  Between trying to get ready for the yard sale and working on the new mystery, she would have her hands full.
    Gloria stepped in to the kitchen and pulled her cell phone from her purse.  The battery was low and needed a charge.  She plugged it into the wall charger when she noticed she’d missed a call.  Her brows drew together. 
    Paul had called, which was a bit odd.  He never called her in the morning. She knew he had worked the night shift the night before.  He should be home.  In bed.  Sleeping.  The call came in not long ago.  She dialed his number, hoping she wasn’t going to wake him up.
    Thankfully, he picked up on the first ring.  “I thought for a minute you were avoiding me,” he teased.
    Gloria fiddled with the end of the charger.  “Of course not!  Something’s wrong with my phone!  I didn’t even hear it ring.”
    Gloria’s hearing wasn’t all that it used to be, either.  Lately, she had to turn the volume up on the TV to full blast just to hear what was being said. 
    She hated to admit it, but she was beginning to feel her age.  Of course, she still felt good.  It was just the little things, like not being able to see to drive at night any more, that seemed more noticeable.
    She loved these golden years and the detective work that gave her purpose.  The visits to the shut-ins that she and the Garden Girls did every Sunday gave her purpose.  On top of that, she had Paul in her life.  She smiled into the phone.  No.  Life was good for Gloria.  The Lord had really blessed her.
    “….the investigation over at the post office.”  Gloria had been so distracted with counting her blessings, she missed half of what Paul had just said.
    “The Montbay Sheriff’s Department isn’t helping with the investigation?” Gloria wondered.
    “Nope,” Paul replied.  “Must be something big.  What with them bringing in the big guns.  The FBI.”
    Gloria’s heart sank.  She hoped Paul had a little insider information he could share, but it was apparent he wouldn’t be able to help much on this one.
    “There’s another reason I called,” he said. “I have houseguests now.  Temporarily, I hope.”
    “You mean living with you at the farm?” she asked.
    Paul