Dirty Money by Denise Grover Swank

Author:Denise Grover Swank
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781939996893
Publisher: DGS

Chapter 17

I still had a million and one questions, but my sister refused to answer a single one. The waitress came back with the check. “Andrea, how’s your mother?”

“Doin’ so much better,” Kate said in her Texas sorority girl accent. “Thank you so much for askin’.”

“Carson was in here just last week and I asked him about you. Said I hadn’t seen you in a spell. He said your mother had taken a turn for the worse.”

Kate paused for a fraction of a second. I was sure Mary hadn’t noticed, but I sure as Pete did. “Did he now?” she said, flashing a smile that showed plenty of her perfect teeth. “I’d really wanted to come with him, but Momma had a doctor’s appointment.”

“I was worried you two had broken up,” Mary confided as she leaned closer. “He and the woman he was with seemed pretty cozy, but he assured me she was his cousin and I had nothin’ to worry about. I felt so relieved.”

“Cousin Betty?” Kate asked in a sugary sweet tone. “Blonde with big breasts?”

“No, brunette. Older. Maybe in her forties, but she looked younger from a distance. He called her Paula.”

Kate gave her a good-natured grin. “That’s his aunt. He probably told you it was his cousin to stroke her vanity.” She took a couple of twenties from her wallet, placed them on the table, then slid out of her seat and gave the waitress a kiss on the cheek. “It was good to see you again, Mary. Tell Chet the pancakes were great as usual.”

Mary cast me a glance. “Agreed,” I said. “Best pancakes in Central Texas.”

The waitress’s eyes flew wide in horror, and I could see I’d offended her.

Kate chuckled after the older woman snatched the money off the table and walked off muttering to herself. “Mary’s an all or nothin’ gal. Either the entire state or nothing.” Her smile fell, and a dark look filled her eyes. “Come on. I have a call to make.”

As soon as we were out in the parking lot, I said, “I take it you didn’t know about Carson’s meetin’.”

“Carson doesn’t have any cousins. His parents were only children and his only living great aunt’s name is Wendy.”

“Do you know who he was meetin’?”

Her lips pursed. “Possibly.”

“Is Carson sellin’ you out?” I asked.

“I don’t know.”

I was surprised she’d admitted as much, especially since she’d painted a picture of being in control. Maybe her long absence hadn’t gone over as smoothly as she’d thought.

“Where are we goin’ now?” I asked.

“Depends on how this phone call goes,” she said, gesturing toward her car. She clicked her key fob. “Get in.”

We drove to a gas station, and like before, Kate left me to pump gas, only this time she grabbed her bag out of the trunk before she went inside.

I finished before she did, so I decided to search the car for my phone. I’d looked through the glove compartment and under both seats by the time Kate walked out. I’d expected her to change—why else would she need her bag?—but she was still in her Andrea persona.

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