Two Tall Tails Read Online Free PDF

don’t know what to say,” I said, smiling across the table at her.
    I’d put a plate of cut-up fruit on the table because I knew Rebecca had been instructed by her doctor to restrain her sweet tooth a little. “Well, that’s easy,” she said, reaching for some apple slices. “You say ‘yes.’”
    â€œOkay. Yes.” I gave her arm a squeeze and she beamed at me.
    I was touched by the generous offer, which I suspected had originated with Rebecca. Everett was just as kindhearted as his wife, but Rebecca had an extra soft spot when it came to anything involving kids.
    She leaned down for a moment to speak to Hercules, and I realized I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t ask her about the missing items from the co-op store because I was certain she’d had nothing to do with the thefts. It made no sense. Looking at Rebecca smiling down at Hercules, I found it hard to imagine her looking furtive while she browsed in the shop and stuffed a couple of placemats in her tote bag. There had to be some other explanation for what had happened.
    â€œDo you think Eddie would agree to come to the party?” Rebecca asked. “He’s so good with children.”
    â€œI think he probably would,” I said, getting up to refill my cup. Now that he didn’t have all of Rebecca’s attention, Hercules had started nosing around the canvas bag next to her chair.
    â€œLeave that alone,” I said quietly to him.
    Hercules immediately sat down, the picture of innocence, but when I turned back to the counter, from the corner of my eye I saw him nudge the bag with his nose once more. I swung around again. “Cut that out!” I said sharply.
    â€œOh, he can’t hurt anything,” Rebecca said.
    â€œYou spoil him and Owen,” I said, frowning in mock annoyance at her.
    Since my attention was diverted, Hercules decided it would be a good time to give the tote a poke with his paw. That was enough for me. I moved to pick him up just as the bag slid down the chair leg and toppled over. A small plastic baggie fell out. Hercules swatted it with a paw and it skidded across the floor, stopping at my feet.
    â€œVery, very bad,” I said to the cat, who didn’t look the slightest bit repentant. I bent down to pick up the baggie. Inside were five chocolate-dipped chocolate chip cookies that I recognized as coming from Fern’s Diner. I straightened up and looked inquiringly at Rebecca.
    She didn’t quite meet my gaze.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” I asked.
    There were two spots of color high on her cheekbones. “I don’t suppose you would believe that I doesn’t know how those cookies got in my bag?” she said. The look on her face reminded me of Owen the last time he’d decapitated a Fred the Funky Chicken and scattered bits of dried catnip all over the living room.
    I pointed a finger at Hercules. “There will be consequences.”
    He made a soft murp and seemed to shrug, almost as though he were trying to say he didn’t really think so.
    I sat down again, setting the cookies on the table, and reached over to catch Rebecca’s hands in mine. “What’s going on?” I asked again.
    Rebecca pursed her lips and met my gaze this time. “I’m a weak old woman.”
    I shook my head. “You are not old and you most definitely are not weak. You’re one of the strongest women—one of the strongest people I know.”
    That got me a small smile. “Do you remember me telling you that my doctor wants me to cut back on the sweets a little? And by the way, my mother had a sweet tooth and she ate cookies until the day she died and she was just fine.” Her chin jutted out just a little. I’d seen that defiant pose before.
    I waited without speaking. Rebecca cleared her throat. “I guess that isn’t really relevant,” she said after a minute. “I’m, uh . . . I’m