Cookies, Corpses and the Deadly Haunt_Haunted House Flippers Inc. by Rachael Stapleton

Author:Rachael Stapleton [Stapleton, Rachael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-09-27T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

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T HE pub in the next town over was full of dark wood paneling and oil paintings. It was the sort of place Juniper enjoyed and she was glad the detective had suggested it. Pretentious dudes were not her style.

“This place sort of reminded me of the Doctors House so I thought you might like it,” Cody said as they sat at a small table in the corner.

Juniper nodded, “Yes, it was a good pick, Detective, almost as if you were trying to put me at ease.”

He smiled and winked. The waitress came and took their orders: a glass of wine for her, beer on tap for him. She was young and pretty, and clearly intrigued by Cody, who was paying no attention to her.

“So, I learned something interesting from one of the volunteers yesterday,” Juniper said finally. “Apparently, there’s a picture missing from the attic. An old family photo of the Doctor and his wife.”

“Okay.” He gave a humorless chuckle. “Is that somehow relevant to us?”

“Well, to be fair, it wouldn’t seem so, however, I just happened to see a photo like that at Lulu’s.”

Cody looked up from his glass. “I’m sorry. I probably should have made this clear. I was asking you here on a date, so that means no shop talk.”

Juniper laughed. “Yes, sir.”

He fixed her with a look. “Tell me about you and Jack? What’s the full story there?”

“I already told you.”

He remained still, but his eyebrows lifted. “It’s just sometimes I get the vibe that things aren’t exactly over between you.” He took a deep draw on his beer and tilted his head. “Am I right?”

“I’m not going to get into the specifics, but trust me when I say we’re over. He’s getting married… I’d say that’s pretty over.”

“But you’re not happy for him.”

“Jack has been my best friend for many years. I’m protective of him, that’s all. When he lost his mother at twenty, I was there for him. When my first apartment flooded, it was Jack who took me in. We’ve always had each other’s backs. Anyone he marries or I date will need to be tolerant and respect our relationship.”

“And she doesn’t?”

“No. Big Boobs is threatened by me. That’s why I don’t want him to marry her.”

The waitress came back with two burgers and a plate of smoked meat poutine, which was basically a heaping pile of smoked Montreal meat and fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy.

Cody picked up his burger and bit into it.

“Please,” he said, pushing the plate toward her. “Help yourself.”

“Thank you.”

Juniper took a couple fries and then turned the table on him.

“So what’s up with you, Mr. Twenty-one questions? What’s your story? Why are you this town’s most eligible bachelor?”

He laughed. “Hardly.”

“You seem pretty popular to me.” She nodded at the waitress who was still openly staring and flirting. “Is it true you’re seeing Penelope Trubble from the Bohemian Private Eye ‘cause she knows martial arts so I’d rather not mess with her?”

Cody gave Juniper a crooked smile and laughed.

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