Short Investigations by Clair M. Poulsen

Author:Clair M. Poulsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Suspense;Clean;LDS;Investigator;crime;Heber;little people;Private eye;PI
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2018-06-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Sarah served blueberry pie for dessert. Patches sighed with satisfaction after finishing a delicious piece with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. She daintily dabbed at her lips with a napkin just in case any of the blue remained there. Then she took a drink of water. “What a wonderful meal, Sarah,” she said with a smile.

“My mother is an excellent cook,” Rhett said proudly. “For that matter, so is Susie.”

“Would you like to go into the living room and visit with Rhett while Susie and I clean up?” Sarah asked.

She couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do. But she said, “I’ll help with the dishes, and then I need to get home and compare notes with Dad.”

“I have a better idea, Mom,” Rhett said with a sly grin. “Why don’t you and Susie and the kids go relax. I’ll help Patches.”

Patches’s heart raced. “That would be great, Rhett,” she said.

“But, Patches, you are our guest,” Sarah argued. “You don’t need to slave away.”

“Actually I’m an employee,” Patches said, glancing at Rhett. “Employees are hired to help.”

“But not to do dishes.” It was Susie who protested this time.

“We’ll talk about the case too,” Patches said. “That’s final.”

The ladies reluctantly rounded up Susie’s little ones and left the kitchen. “This is really nice of you, Patches,” Rhett said as they began to gather dishes from the table.

She looked up. “I really do want to spend some time with you. And there are some things we need to talk about.”

They got busy cleaning up the kitchen. A few minutes later, Patches’s phone rang. She was tempted to ignore it. She was having such a relaxing time just being with Rhett. He was such a great guy. But Rhett said, “You’d better take that. It could be important.”

“All right,” she said reluctantly and plucked the phone from the countertop where she’d laid it earlier. One glance told her it was from her father. She touched the screen, put the phone to her ear, and said, “Hi, Dad. Did you learn anything helpful today?”

“I’ll say I did,” he said. “I have a lot to report. Are you still at the Ketchums’?”

“Yes,” she said. “Why?”

“I need to ask Rhett something.”

“Let me find him,” she said, glancing meaningfully at Rhett. She called out, “Rhett, it’s my dad. He has a question for you.”

Rhett grinned, waited a moment, and then said, “Sure, what does he want?”

Patches put the phone to her ear again and said, “Do you need to speak to him, or can I put my phone on speaker?”

“Put it on speaker,” her father said.

She did that and then put the phone on the counter near where the two of them were rinsing dishes and loading the dishwasher. “Okay, Dad, go ahead,” Patches said.

“You two can keep doing the dishes while we talk,” Max said.

“Dad, what . . . how . . .” she stammered.

Her dad chuckled. “Patches, my girl, surely you don’t think your old papa is dumb, do you?”

“Of course not,” she said as she caught Rhett’s eye and grinned sheepishly.

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