Read Between the Tines Read Online Free PDF

another minute so I headed up the sidewalk.
    I stabbed a finger at the buzzer mounted on wide trim and waited. A police car had cruised by as I'd turned the corner, so I was certain an officer had already been here. I was surprised he didn't wait until someone arrived to sit with her. Knowing Karen, she'd sent him off. She was the only person I'd ever met whose need for control outweighed mine.
    I pressed the doorbell again. Where was she? Was she avoiding people? In her room crying? I glanced into the side window. No movement. I checked the door. Locked. The Buzzys often left the back door unlocked, so I circled round back.
    Through the cage of the Bobcat I'd delivered to aid in removal of the concrete patio tomorrow morning, I spotted Karen. She stood in the center of the patio, staring into the yard and dabbing a crumpled tissue at her eyes. To me, Karen was the perennial plant, feverfew. Many plants are stunners, standing out and drawing attention, but feverfew had more substance than flash. Much like Karen. Traditional in her dress, she was attractive in a conservative way, but what drew others to her were the qualities running deep inside. She emitted a faith that knew no bounds, but faith I knew the loss of her husband would test.
    I approached. "Karen."
    She slowly pivoted, a lost look in her eyes. "Oh, Paige. Good, I'm glad you're here. There's something I need to talk to you about."
    "Anything you need." I wrapped my arms around her, but she remained stiff and lifeless. I pulled back and waited for her to tell me what I could do to help.
    "This was Gary 's favorite spot, you know. He poured this patio with his friend Nathan." She lowered her gaze to the exposed aggregate. "I'm not sure if I want to take it out now or not."
    What? Her husband was just murdered and she wanted to talk about the landscape project? I was totally unprepared for this reaction.
    Her head popped up with a forced smile tipping her generous lips. "They had so much fun mixing and pouring the concrete. We had a little barbeque when it was done and sat around the lawn admiring the patio. Gary was so proud of their work." Her eyes clouded over. "Until water started flooding the crawl space. Then he realized his mistake. He didn't know he had to slope the patio away from the house."
    I didn't know what to say. This was not news to me. They hired me to make sure the new patio had the right pitch for water run off.
    She dabbed at her eyes. " Gary went to work early today so he could come home when it was still light out. He was supposed to pick up the jackhammer and start busting this up after work. Just like Gary to try to fix his own mistake before you had to rip it out tomorrow." She paused with a dreamy look in her eyes. "When the officer came to the door, I thought it was Gary coming home even earlier to get the messy work done so you could make things beautiful again." She peered at me. "You can't, can you, Paige? Make anything about this situation beautiful?" She clutched her stomach, and the tears I'd expected earlier oozed out.
    I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. "Maybe we should go inside. I'll make a cup of tea."
    "No!" Her hands flew up. "I have to stay here. In Gary 's favorite spot. Then he'll be close to me. Forever close. Right here on the patio." She made rapid darts of her eyes around the yard. "Yes, the patio stays. You need to get rid of all of the equipment." She pointed at the Bobcat. "Get that monster out of here."
    "Karen, I think we should—"
    "Now, Paige. I want it gone now!" Her vehemence allowed no argument.
    "I can move it to the end of the driveway while I pick up the trailer from my shop to haul it off."
    She nodded. "Good, good. Yes, better." She continued to nod, though I don't think she was conscious of the action.
    "I have to get the key from my truck." Not wanting to leave her alone, I slowly backed away and pondered what to do. I reached the corner of the house and found my answer. Lisa pulled her silver