One Smart Cookie by Maria Schneider

Author:Maria Schneider [Schneider, Maria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: cozy mystery, rom-com, romantic comedy, amatuer slueth, women slueth, laugh out loud
Publisher: Bear Mountain Books
Published: 2023-09-19T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

We parked behind my mother’s dusty, old, red Ford Bronco on Rain Dance Road. Not that parking was allowed; then again neither were horses or horse trailers. My dad’s burgundy work truck pulled up behind us as we climbed out. Our vehicles were completely off the pavement and more on golf course than road, but that wouldn’t stop someone from reporting us. We’d all end up towed and who would come to the rescue then?

“Your mother is at it again,” Dad declared, pushing bushy silver hair out of his face. He sized up Slate in one glance. “You know, I had a chance to shoot Tom at my wedding.”

I said nothing because it wasn’t possible to guess where this was headed.

Slate said, “Regrets?”

“Just saying if you ever have that chance, think about it very carefully.” Dad pulled out deerskin gloves from the passenger side of his truck. Right about then, Mom and Aunt Lily came tootling down Rain Dance Road in a golf cart. No telling which house was now missing the cart. They’d have stolen the first available, possibly even hijacking it from an innocent golfer on the course if the chance presented itself.

Aunt Lily hopped out, her extra large, black leather tote bag slung over her shoulder. Uh-oh. I had a bad feeling about that bag. The rest of her wasn’t reassuring either. She was wearing what could only be described as white lace bloomers that tied an inch below her knees. Her golf polo was a deep peach, coordinated with her long, white-peach striped socks that almost reached the bloomers. Apparently she thought the bloomers doubled as golf knickers?

“This the contraband the hostage-takers think they deserve?” Aunt Lily hustled around to the back of the trailer while Mom and Dad scowled at each other.

“I’m going in,” Mom announced loftily, her fingers twitching towards her pocket. “No one takes my brother and has the gall to call and threaten to mail his fingers to me unless I deliver a Knight in Shining Armor. I’ll give them a night they won’t forget!” Her “golf pants” were bright yellow culottes with ribbons of pink, green and blue all along the bottom half. Paired with a white and pink striped polo, she looked like a mariachi dancer, not a golfer, because that is what the outfit was actually for.

Dad took a deep breath. “Your note said as much. We agreed you would call me next time you had anything to do with your brother.” He crossed muscular arms. Dad didn’t do disguises. He wasn’t here to golf. His t-shirt was one of his work ones, a plain white cotton tee underneath a blue-checked button-down like he wore every day. Streaks of silver in what had once been dark brown hair made his whole head glint in the dying afternoon light. He had taken time to change out of his jeans and yank on khaki pants with plenty of pockets. The zippered cavities were stuffed full of knives, pliers, two or three different Leatherman tools, and today he even had a rope hanging from one of his belt loops.

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