Family Ties: Ellie McLellan Genealogy Mystery - Book 7 by Beth Farrar

Author:Beth Farrar [Farrar, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canada
Published: 2024-08-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter fourteen

They watched as Charlie parked and got out of his car, taking his time to look over the group on the front lawn. No one paid him any attention except the women who had first seen him arrive. He was slighter in build than Quinn, his light brown hair long and unkept. He jingled his keys in his hand and seemed to hesitate before heading to a group that called his name.

“Leave him be for now,” Gran said. “Ignore him if you can.”

“Is there a problem?” Ellie asked.

The women looked at each other, and Gran nodded. Isla lowered her voice. “He’s a close friend of Jessie’s husband, the one who killed his daughter?”

“Oh,” was all Ellie could come up with.

“Ladies,” Quinn said, rejoining them with a box of champagne in his hands. “Let’s go get some food and we’ll save this for news of the birth.”

“It could take a while,” Ellie said. “First births often take their time.”

“Not with Walsh women,” Gran said, leading the way to the table. The food was piled high, enough to feed an army, or just enough to satisfy the Walsh clan. “Help yourselves. Quinn, can you get me the small burger Wayne promised me, please? We’ll take the big table near the patio.” Gran grabbed Ellie’s arm and steered her away from the group and the noise. “I really don’t care for these gatherings anymore,” she whispered to Ellie before they sat down.

“You’re the second person who said that to me,” Ellie laughed.

“But it’s better than meeting everyone at a funeral,” Gran said. “Those are horrendous. I suppose the next one of those will be mine.”

“That’s a horrible thing to say, Gran,” Quinn said, placing a loaded plate in front of her and another in front of Ellie.

“Time to face facts.” Gran squirted ketchup on her burger. “I’ve lived a long life and I’m getting achy. Some days, I don’t even want to get out of bed.”

A quiet surrounded them as others joined them at the table. Mr. Walsh had heard the last comment and laid a hand on his mother’s shoulder. “Mom, I told you that you can come and live with us any time you want.”

“You’re a dear, Malcolm.” Gran patted his hand, then picked up her burger. “But I have a home and people to look after me. Never mind what I say. Just the ramblings of an old woman.”

“Didn’t you say most of the people in your genealogy group were older?” Isla asked Ellie from her seat across the table. Her burger was jammed with fixings. Glancing at Brian's burger beside her, she saw it was much smaller. She quickly shifted plates with him. He just smiled.

“They are,” Ellie said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “Most of them are in their late eighties. The sisters are in their nineties.”

“Well, may they live long and prosper,” Gran said. “I’m sure they’re all feeling their years, though.”

Ellie rested her burger on the plate. “I’m worried about Lennie, actually. He and his wife recently moved into a retirement home.

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