A Deadly Vineyard Holiday

A Deadly Vineyard Holiday by Philip R. Craig Read Free Book Online

Book: A Deadly Vineyard Holiday by Philip R. Craig Read Free Book Online
Authors: Philip R. Craig
She’s the evil one.”
    â€œCongratulations on getting your driver’s licenses,” said Zee. “Wheels are power.”
    â€œYes!” The twins shot fists into the air. Their smiles were bright.
    â€œDad’s let us have the Jeep for the afternoon,” said Jill or Jen, “and we’re headed for East Beach, over on Chappy, where there aren’t so many people. It’ll be great!” She looked at Karen and Debby. “You want to come?”
    â€œA moral dilemma,” I said to Debby. “Shall it be the beach or the quahog flats?” She hesitated. “I vote that you head for the beach,” I said. “You can come clamming tomorrow, when I go after steamers.”
    â€œYou can take the bedspread we use for a beach blanket out of the Land Cruiser,” said Zee. “I’ll put some colas in a cooler and get you a couple of towels. Put your bathing suit on, Debby. You, too, Karen. Hurry up, now!”
    Debby hurried, but Karen hesitated before going after her. Soon they came out, wearing beach robes andcarrying bags full of whatever it is that women always seem to need, whether they’re going to the beach or to a royal ball.
    â€œI don’t know about this,” whispered Karen Lea as she passed by.
    â€œYou’ll be fine,” I said, giving her a cousinish pat on the shoulder. “See you later.”
    The Wagoneer drove away, and Zee and I watched it go. “I feel like their mother,” said Zee. “Good grief!” She laughed, but her laugh sounded wistful.
    â€œHow does it feel?”
    â€œNot too bad. But I think I should get to be a mother of my own babies first, and then my own little kids, before I’m mother to teenagers.” She looked up at me with her great, dark eyes.
    â€œWe can work on that,” I said. “In the meantime, you want to come quahogging down at Eel Pond?”
    She sighed and nodded. “Sure, but I have to be home in time to go to work at four.”
    â€œA wife with a steady job is too valuable an asset for me to run risks with her,” I said. “I’ll have you back in plenty of time.”
    I put another basket and rake into the Land Cruiser, and we drove out to the pavement and turned toward Edgartown. There was a car parked beside the bike path a hundred feet or so up the road in the direction of Vineyard Haven. I thought there was someone in the driver’s seat.
    The car was still there when we came back with our quahogs an hour and a half later.
    I pulled into the driveway and stopped and looked at the car.
    â€œWhat is it?” asked Zee.
    â€œI’m not sure,” I said.
    As I got out of the Land Cruiser and crossed the highway, I thought I saw the driver taking my picture. Then, as I walked along the bike path toward the car, its driver started the motor, made a U-turn, and drove away.
    I thought the car had a Massachusetts plate, but I couldn’t make out the number.
    I walked back to the truck.
    â€œWhat was that all about?” asked Zee.
    â€œI don’t know,” I said. “Probably nothing.”
    But I didn’t think it was nothing.

— 4 —
    â€œMaybe it was just a car,” said Zee when we got to the house.
    I felt a frown on my face. “Maybe, but maybe not. It was parked there when we came out, and it was still there when we came back. It didn’t leave till I went toward it.”
    â€œI didn’t notice it when we went out,” she said. “But why would somebody be out there, watching our driveway?”
    I could think of four possibilities about the car and driver. The one I liked best was that the car had nothing to do with us at all. It was just happenstance that it was there when it was there and left when it left. I could also live with the idea that the car contained a watchful backup Secret Service agent in addition to Karen Lea, but one who, for some reason, didn’t want to be identified

Similar Books

A Scots Quair

Lewis Grassic Gibbon

All My Tomorrows

Ellie Dean

Union Atlantic

Adam Haslett

Double Play

Nikki Duvall

Unbridled Dreams

Stephanie Grace Whitson

Desirable

Elle Thorne, Shifters Forever