The Neighbor's Dark Past (A Bexley Squires Mystery Book 6) by Quinn Avery

Author:Quinn Avery [Avery, Quinn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-05-21T00:00:00+00:00

10

Losing a son and a husband within a year of each other had aged Lillian Finn and made her a hard woman. She was nothing like she’d been throughout Twila and Tommy’s childhood. It had been part of the reason Twila had decided to leave home the day after graduating high school. As much as she loved her mother and tried to help her get past her grief, she couldn’t stand being around her any longer.

When Twila breezed into the ranch-style home behind Arnold and her brother, their mother didn’t rouse from the brown floral couch riddled with cigarette burns. She simply squinted her eyes, the same clear blue shade as her daughter’s, while sucking on a cigarette.

“Who’s the gimpy kid?” she demanded.

“Mom!” Twila scolded. “That isn’t nice! He was hurt in the war!”

Arnold swallowed hard beside Twila. “M’name’s Arnold Douglas, ma’am. Your daughter was kind enough to offer me a place to stay for the night until I can…well…”

“Get back on your feet?” Lillian supplied with a wry grin.

Tommy deposited the two military bags by the front door. “Good to see you, too, Momma,” he mumbled as he headed toward her and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “I missed you.”

Their mother said nothing in reply, just looked at him through a narrowed gaze. Tears stung Twila’s eyes. Why was it so hard for their mother to show love for her only living son? She understood how hard it had been for Lillian to move on after her husband and oldest son had passed, but it was as if her remaining two children no longer meant anything without the rest of their family.

To hell with her, Twila thought, defiantly squaring her shoulders. “Tommy, go ahead and clean yourself up. I’ll show Arnold to his room and start dinner. How do steaks and mashed potatoes sound?”

“Like heaven,” Tommy declared with one of his biggest crooked grins.

“His room?” Lillian sneered, gritting her nicotine-stained teeth. “You mean Timmy’s room? You’re gonna let this Neanderthal stay in there?”

“It’s not like Tim needs it,” Tommy snapped before storming toward his childhood room.

Before their mom could spew any more cruel thoughts at them, Twila steered Arnold around to the hallway leading to the remaining bedrooms. She wiped the tears from her eyes, taking a shuttering breath once the bitter shell of a woman who had raised her was out of sight.

“Maybe I should get a motel room for the night,” Arnold said quietly. “I don’t want to be a burden to anyone.”

“You’re not a burden,” Twila assured him with a sad little shake of her head. She leaned back against the paneled wall and smiled at him. “I wish you could’ve met her before my daddy and Timmy passed. Believe it or not, she was a lot of fun.”

“She’s very beautiful,” he told her. “Just like her daughter.”

Twila felt a little dizzy when she gazed into his dark eyes. Something about them drew her in, making her want to sink her fingers into the longer brown hair on the top of his head.

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