Mourning Dove by Donna Simmons Read Free Book Online

finger to close
her mouth, and introduced her. “Cass, this is Jonathon Pierce, CFO of Star
Shine Communications.  Jonathon Pierce, my closest friend, Cass O’Brien.”
    Cass stuttered over her
response, “W...would you like to join us, Mr. Pierce?”
    “I don’t want to intrude
on your meal. It’s my pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”  He reached out to take
Cass’s hand and repeated the elegant tribute.
    Jonathon turned back to
Sara. “I understand you’ll meet with Robert on Monday. I believe I’ll make
myself available at that time, too.” With a wink at Cass he sauntered off
toward a table set for three on the terrace. She thought he must have been
meeting some people.
    “What do you think of
him, Cass?”
    “Texan drawl and old
world charm. My goodness, I’m having a hot flash.”
    “Now you know how I felt
the first time I met him.”
    “He reminds me of an
actor.”
    “Sam Elliot, he’s a dead
ringer.”
    “Wow, I need another
glass of water. You lucky dog you.”
    “Cass, the connoisseur of
chocolate, what do you suggest for dessert?” Sara teased as they scanned
through the options on the menu.
    “Chocolate lover’s tort,
it’s to die for.”
    “Let’s order two. I
wanted to tell you Friday night that I was impressed with Jordie’s concern and
thoughtfulness the day of the funeral. Your son drove up from Massachusetts to
remove a foot of new snow from our driveway. I remember looking out the window
to a shuffling sound. There he was with a snow shovel clearing the drive.”
    “That’s my boy. Oh, I was
talking to him last night. You know that little art supply shop I told you
about down in Newburyport? They had a burglary night before last – made a real
mess of the place. Jordie walked down to pick up some supplies yesterday and
the police were there. Stacey, the owner, was shook up, but okay. Luckily she
wasn’t there when it happened.”
    “Stacey Braun?”
    “You know her?”
    “She had a soft spot for
both Jordie and Carl. I saw her with the boys quite a few times. She was in the
hospital recovering from an accident when Carl died and said she wished she
could have been with us. She sent us a lovely condolence note. I didn’t know
art supply stores were a hotbed of crime. How much was taken?”
    “Jordie says they trashed
the place and took the office safe from the back room, about fifteen hundred in
checks and some legal papers. He stayed until the police and insurance adjuster
left then helped her clean the place up.”
    “What could possibly be
so valuable in a little shop like that?  I don’t understand kids today.”

CHAPTER 5
     
     
    “Mrs. Stafford, I’m
pleased to meet you at last.”
    Robert Starr walked
across the gray carpet of the Starr Shine boardroom late  Monday afternoon
wearing a smile that stretched from ear to ear; he extended his arm for a
welcoming handshake. Sara expected a shorter man, but he easily topped six foot
five. None of the pictures she’s seen of him at social events and political
rallies did him justice. A silver haired southern gentleman exuding grace and
style, he wore a tailor made suit that probably cost more than her car.
    “Thank you, sir.” She met
him halfway with a smile of her own, praying she wouldn’t screw this up. “I’m
impressed with what you’ve accomplished and I’d like an opportunity to be an
intricate part of this team. You’ve taken communications to a whole new
dimension, sir, with your satellite technology.”
    “Thank you for your kind
thoughts, Mrs. Stafford. We like to think we are a power to be reckoned with.
Please sit down, make yourself comfortable. Would you like some liquid
refreshment?”
    “Thank you, but no, and
please call me Sara. I like to think of my mother-in-law as Mrs. Stafford.”
    He laughed as he slid
into the chairman-of-the-board seat at the end of the table. “Fair enough,
Sara. I didn’t mean to imply a matronly image with your lovely presence before
me. I’m afraid