A Vineyard Killing: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery by Philip R. Craig

Author:Philip R. Craig
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Jeff (Fictitious character), Private investigators, Martha's Vineyard (Mass.), Jackson, Mystery & Detective, Real estate developers, Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780060575274
Publisher: New York : Scribner, c2003.
Published: 2004-05-06T14:33:28.281000+00:00

Maria phoned an hour later and I told her what I wanted her to do.

"All right," she said, "but I'm going to have a hard time explaining it."

"Don't explain. Let it be a mystery."

"It's already a mystery to me. Why do you want it?" "I'll tell you later, when I give you my report."

"All right. I'll bring it by in the morning. Have you found out anything yet?"

"Not enough to mean anything. I'll see you in the morning." "What was that all about?" asked Zee, who was setting the table for supper. I told her. "You're serious about this job you took," she said. Then she came close and touched the red mark on my jaw. "And what's this?"

"I was playing with the big boys. It's nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing to me. You're not a kid anymore, Jefferson. Who was it?"

I told her. She didn't like what she heard, and told me so. "I didn't start it," I said, "and he kept coming."

"You should have run or yelled for help."

"Maybe you're right. I don't think he got hurt too badly."

"You didn't need to hurt him at all!" She turned away, then, just as fast, turned back. "And he could have hurt you!"

"Next time I'll run and yell."

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will. I promise."

"You've said that before. I don't want any next times." "Okay, no more next times. See how cooperative I can be?" I reached out and put my arms around her. She pushed against them, but not too hard.

Then she sighed and put her arms up around my neck. "I worry about you, Jefferson. I really do."

I kissed her and she kissed me back.

"Ma, how soon's supper?" asked Diana the huntress, looking for food as usual.

Her mother and I untangled. "It's almost ready," said Zee. "Go tell your brother to wash his hands and come to the table."

"Quality family time," I said. "There's nothing like it. You, me, and the kids, all together at the supper table. And the cats, of course." "Get the casserole out of the oven," said Zee. "Maybe food will have charms to soothe your savage breast."

"Could be. I read somewhere that food, music, and sex can affect your brain in the same way."

Zee tossed her head. "Of course for that to happen you have to have a brain."

Wisely, I did not respond but put the casserole on the table and turned to meet Joshua and Diana as they came in, followed by Oliver Underfoot and Velcro.

"Pa."

"What, Josh?"

"Can we have a dog?"

It was not the first time the question had been asked in our house, nor was my answer new.

"No. No dogs. We have cats."

"If we had a little dog, she could play with the cats." "No. Especially no little dog! When I'm king of the world I'm banning all small dogs. I thought I'd told you that." "Ah, Pa. All our friends have dogs!"

"Then you can go play with their dogs. See, Oliver Underfoot and Velcro agree with me." We all looked at the cats, who unmistakably did side with me on the dog issue.

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