LOWCOUNTRY BOUGHS OF HOLLY by Susan M. Boyer

Author:Susan M. Boyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: cozy mystery;women sleuths;private investigators;Southern fiction
Publisher: Henery Press
Published: 2020-10-28T17:53:20+00:00

TWELVE

Nate brought home all my favorites—Mongolian beef, orange chicken, vegetable lo mein, fried rice, crab wontons, and spring rolls. We always over-ordered Chinese food because we both liked to sample each dish and have leftovers for lunch the next day. We took our overfilled plates into the front room with a bottle of Emiliana red blend.

When we’d settled into our customary spots on the sectional sofa, I asked, “Did you get everything taken care of? Are we really leaving on Sunday instead of Monday?”

“All set.” Nate popped a bite of beef into his mouth. He was the very picture of serenity and calm.

“Changing all those arrangements—airline reservations and such—that must’ve been exorbitant.”

“You’d be surprised,” said Nate. “It didn’t cost an extra dime.”

“Seriously?” I felt my face scrunch. “It’s hard to imagine Delta didn’t hit you with outrageous fees on eight tickets changed within a week of flying, this close to Christmas, no less.”

“Who said I was dealing with Delta?” He grinned at me.

I gave him my best Oh puh-leeze look. “You said we were going someplace warm. I know you’re smarter than to plan a road trip to Florida for this bunch. We’ve never flown any airline but Delta.”

Nate shrugged, picked up a spring roll. “I guess folks are just filled with the Christmas spirit. How was your day?”

I inhaled deeply, then told him all about seeing Blake and Poppy and Tammy Sue on the ferry, about my conversation with Blake. “It just makes me so angry. Our family has lived here for generations. And we have land—plenty of land. But that does us absolutely no good and my brother can’t afford to live here.”

Nate was quiet, thoughtful. “I sure hate to hear that.”

“I told him they should live with us,” I said.

Nate nodded. “We’ve got plenty of room.”

“Will you help me persuade him?” I asked. “I think he’ll be more likely to listen to you. It’d just be temporary. Sooner or later something will come on the market in their budget.”

“I’ll do my best,” he said. “We’ll get this figured out. I give you my word.”

I teared up. I had the best husband on the planet. Most guys probably wouldn’t agree quite so quickly to in-laws moving in, especially with a baby on the way.

“Whoa now,” said Nate. “No need for tears. Everything’s going to be fine.”

I hugged him over two plates of Chinese food. “Thank you, Sweetheart.”

“Tell me about the rest of your day,” he said.

“Here’s the headline: Tallulah Hartley is C. C. Bounetheau’s daughter.” I filled him in on my meetings with Virginia, Abigail, and Tess—and Tess’s bombshell—and my conversation with Dwight Goodnight. “Oh, and I’m pretty sure Colleen is riding Claude around the island, which explains a great many things, like Darius’s behavior during the parade—and Grace’s too, come to think it—and why Claude keeps showing up everywhere we go, but avoids his handler so reliably.”

“What makes you suspect Colleen’s teamed up with your father’s rebellious reindeer?” asked Nate. “You think Grace could sense her?” Grace

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