The Deeds of the Deceitful by Ellery Adams

Author:Ellery Adams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
Publisher: Beyond the Page
Published: 2020-10-23T00:00:00+00:00

• • •

Cooper thought about her parents’ modest home and grimaced. She should never have invited Jon over. He was a friend of Ashley and Mindy, and that meant he was accustomed to much more than what the Lees could offer.

A moment later and she immediately regretted her thoughts.

Her parents were kind, generous, honest, God-fearing people. If that wasn’t enough for the likes of Chef Jon Eason, well, too bad. Then she remembered that her grandmother would be home and groaned. Leave it to Grammy to embarrass her in front of Jon. She could only pray that she didn’t take out her dentures and put them on the kitchen table or ask Jon what his intentions were.

Cooper assessed herself in the full-length mirror. Weekend faded blue jeans and a vintage Abbey Road T-shirt that was older than she was. The shirt was a find from the local thrift shop. It would be good for Jon to see the authentic Cooper, in her indigenous setting. She’d obliged the dress code for the Atwood Inn two weekends ago. Now she was dressed for the Lee Bed & Breakfast.

Behind her, Moses and Miriam both meowed loudly.

“Don’t you two start sassing me. I am not going to get all gussied up. It’s Saturday morning. Our guest can take it or leave it.”

Miriam stared at her with displeasure.

“I got a pedicure yesterday,” Cooper said. She glanced down at her neatly polished toes. “Doesn’t that count?”

Appeased, the cat jumped to the windowsill.

Minutes later, the sound of a car pulling into the drive startled Cooper, and she dropped the hairbrush in her hand. “He’s early.” She slipped her feet into sandals, raced out of the apartment, down the steps and across the flagstones, until she stood in front of the two-car garage.

Jon stepped out of a dark sedan. He pulled off aviator sunglasses and grinned when his gaze met hers. “Good morning, Cooper Lee.”

“Good morning.”

She stood dumbstruck as she realized that they could be twins. Jon wore jeans and a crisp white T-shirt that read A Hard Days Night across the chest. She recognized the image from the 1964 feature film by the Fab Four.

Okay, he was the neat twin. His T-shirt had been ironed. Thankfully, his caramel hair was tousled as usual. Boy, he sure looked good.

Her heart hammered when he turned and smiled. “Nice shirt,” she said, feigning nonchalance. Jon Eason was in a league she’d never played in, and she wasn’t sure if she could or should.

“Thanks. I like yours too. Beatles fan?” he asked.

“Obsessively.”

“I thought there was something special about you.” He reached into the backseat and pulled out a bouquet of daisies and a foil-covered casserole pan.

Cooper’s eyes rounded. “Flowers?”

“For your mother.”

She couldn’t help grinning. “You’re good.”

“What can I say?” Jon offered a nonapologetic shrug. “I’m a Southern boy. My mama taught me well.”

“I guess so,” Cooper said. She peered at the container in his hands. “What’s in there?”

“No peeking.” Jon switched the casserole to the other hand so she couldn’t inspect the contents.

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