Heaven Preserve Us by Cricket McRae

Author:Cricket McRae [McRae, Cricket]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Large Type Books, Detective and Mystery Stories, Mystery Fiction, Washington (State), Women Artisans, Soap Trade
ISBN: 9781597228374
Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK
Published: 2007-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

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SEVENTEEN

MARYJAKE WAS INDEED WAITING, but she didn't seem at all upset that I was late. In fact, I was pretty sure she hadn't even noticed, she was so involved in conversation with Jude when Erin and I walked in.

"I'm going to set up Erin in the game room to do some homework, okay?"

Jude, crouched over a pile of papers at a nearby table, paused in leafing through them to give me a brilliant smile. "There's a new table and chairs in there, but it's kind of loud and crowded now. Might be hard to concentrate. We've got people working, putting up some shelves."

It was the first time I'd seen him genuinely happy.

"The Chase brothers?" I asked.

He nodded.

Maryjake jumped in. "Shelves for games and books, and a dartboard on the back wall. The pool-slash-ping pong table and a big television will be here next week."

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"Wow."

"I know. Jude is making it a real game room, where teenagers can come after school and hang out. It'll be great."

He looked away, modest, but the smile remained on his face. That room had been slated to be a game room for teens from the beginning. Philip had only been gone for four days, and Jude was already more efficient.

"So are you taking over Heaven House?" I asked him.

His gaze met mine for an instant before flicking away. He had very nice eyes, a light, clear green under that thick shock of blonde hair. Philip had had mostly red eyes, and mostly no hair. It was hard to believe they'd been related.

"It looks that way," he said. "The board hasn't voted to confirm it yet, so nothing's written in stone."

Maryjake said, "But they told him to go ahead and move into Philip's apartment upstairs, so that sounds like they want him to keep HH going, don't you think?"

As they spoke, I'd been looking around, seeing the place as if for the first time. There was real potential there. "From what I can see, they couldn't choose anyone better," I said.

Blushing a little, Jude looked down at the floor. "Thanks"

"Let me know if you need any help packing up or moving. My little pickup is at your disposal," I said.

He turned a little redder. "I might need to take you up on that. I don't have much to move, but I can't fit anything very big in my little compact."

"Anytime," I said.

Erin tugged at my arm. I looked down. "Sorry. Let's find you a good place to do your homework."

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"I don't have very much. And it's Friday. Can't I go play pinball?"

I waffled. She had a point, but I didn't want to get on her mother's bad side. "Tell you what-you do half your homework first, and then you can go play Nardella."

She made a little groaning noise in the back of her throat.

"I thought you said you didn't have much homework. If that's true then it won't take you very long to do half of it, now will it?"

"Oh, fine. But can't I do it in the game room? Please?"

I was pretty sure Erin had a bit of a crush on Luke Chase.

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