Three Can Keep a Secret Read Online Free PDF

the guitar riff in Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child.” Talk about sacrifice.
    Queenie trotted over and Lucy put down her hand to be smelled and approved.
    “Where’s Tess?” I asked.
    “Waiting in the car. She’s a little nervous.”
    “She like dogs?”
    “Loves ’em.”
    “Well then, come on, Queenie. Let’s go meet our new neighbor.”
    Tess’ eyes could just be seen over the dashboard of the Taurus, and they lit up when Queenie came into view. Lucy tapped on the car window, and Tess rolled it down an inch.
    “It’s okay, sweetie,” Lucy said. “Why don’t you come out and pet the dog?”
    Tess’ eyes slid to me, and I gave her my friendliest smile. I wasn’t always at the top of my form with kids, but I’d do my best to overcome that and make this one feel welcome.
    Tess finally stepped out of the car and giggled when Queenie snuffled around her. She leaned down to let Queenie lick her face, and giggled some more.
    Lucy’s eyes crinkled, and even I had to laugh at Queenie’s enthusiasm. I needed to remember that accepting Tess wasn’t a betrayal of Howie. Dogs can appreciate an infinite number of people, and just because Queenie liked the new folks, that didn’t mean she had forgotten the old ones.
    “Hello, Tess,” I said. “I’m Stella.”
    She stood up, and Queenie flopped at her feet, panting happily. Tess peered at me from below blond eyelashes. “Hello.” Her voice was quiet and sweet. Like a kitten.
    “I’m really glad to have you and your mom here,” I said. “I hope you love the farm as much as I do.”
    She nodded once, then bent down to Queenie again.
    Lucy rubbed a hand across the top of her daughter’s head. “She’s a bit shy till you get to know her. She’ll come around soon.”
    “No problem. We have all the time in the world.” I paused and swallowed the lump in my throat. “You want to go ahead and move in? The apartment’s all ready for you.”
    “Maybe you could take us up, show us around. But if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to start working. With the dog here, Tess won’t need much else to do.”
    I could deal with that.
    The morning went quickly. After Queenie and I gave Lucy and Tess the grand tour, including a very brief look at their apartment, it was already eleven o’clock. Lucy seemed antsy to get going, so I set her up on the scraper, moving cow crap from barnyard to manure lagoon. I left her with a funny, pleased grin tickling her face.
    After checking on Poppy—still big and uncomfortable with her impending calf, signaling the imminent loss of my bet with Zach—I tromped into my office to see if anything needed my immediate attention. The blinking light on my phone, indicating that I had voice mail, welcomed me. I punched the button to avoid looking at the box of photos I had brought down from Howie’s apartment late the night before. The message was from Lenny. I picked up the phone to call him.
    “Biker Barn,” growled a voice.
    “Bart, it’s Stella. Got a message from Lenny to call him.”
    “Yeah, well good luck figuring him out. He’s been acting damn strange today.”
    “Like what?”
    “Like he’s got a batch of Olympic ants in his pants.”
    I laughed. “Put him on, will you?”
    I heard scraping, like he’d set the phone on the counter, then muffled yelling. A couple of bangs and clicks later, Lenny came on the line.
    “Stella, thanks for calling back.” His voice was quiet, like he didn’t want anyone to eavesdrop.
    “No problem. What’s up?”
    He muttered something unintelligible.
    “Sorry, Len, I can’t hear you.”
    He sighed loudly, then spoke up. “You’re friends with that detective you met last month?”
    “Willard? I don’t know about friends, but sure, I know him.”
    He cleared his throat. “Think you could introduce me? I’d like to talk to him about something.”
    Taken aback, I said, “What?”
    “I just thought…if you’re not comfortable with it, you don’t have to.”
    “No, I