Another Saturday Night and I Ain't Got No Body (A Page Turners Novel) by Jennie Marts Read Free Book Online Page A

suspicious!” and pointed at Jake. “Have you asked him why he showed up in the middle of the night ? Nobody knows him. How do we even know he is related to Walter ? Did you know he has a gun?”
    Jake appeared shocked, and a strange look crossed his face. Guilt, perhaps?
    Tom turned to Jake with an appraising eye and a look of mistrust on his face.
    “I think Mr. Landon and I will continue our conversation outside.” He and Jake headed for the kitchen door. “Thank you again for your time, ladies. You’ve been a big help.”  He said this last with an appreciative smile at Piper, who flushed and looked at the floor, her bravado now gone after her brazen accusations.
    The detective took Jake by the arm and led him outside. The women couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it wasn’t for lack of trying as the group jumped up from the table and plastered themselves against the kitchen door and windows.
    They slunk back to the table as the men disappeared into Walter’s house.
    “I’m sure Walter is fine,” said Cassie, the eternal optimist. “This could all be a mistake.”
    “Walter would never go anywhere without his wedding ring and that belt buckle. He had those things with him every day,” Edna explained quietly. “I think something really happened to him, girls.”
    They somberly finished their coffee and helped Edna clear the table, all deep in thought with memories of Walter, imagining what could have happened. Maggie and Cassie had spent so much time in this neighborhood, they both had formed an attachment to the friendly widower .
    Gathering their purses to head out, Cassie suddenly gasped. “Oh Sunny, I almost forgot to tell you. I set up your next date for Saturday night.”
    “What?” Sunny croaked.
    “I know it’s probably not the best time to talk about it, but Matt has an old football buddy who moved back to town. His wife left him, and he and his little boy moved back a few months ago. I think his folks live here in town, and they are staying with them. I remember him a little from high school. He was cute anyway. But Matt thinks he’s a nice guy and seems like a good dad. His name is Hank, and I gave him your number. I wouldn’t bring it up right now, but he may call you tonight. He wants to take you to a baseball game this Saturday, I think.”
    “Great,” Sunny replied. “I can’t wait.”
    “Now, give this Hank a chance,” Maggie said. “You agreed to go on six of these. You can’t give up after one botched date with Blaine the boring stockbroker.” She smiled, and some of the mixed tension left the room.
    “All right, you win,” Sunny said, giving in.
    “Just clean up the dog poo in the yard before he shows up Saturday night,” Cassie said, and they all laughed as they filed out the door.
     

5
     
    The next day, Piper Denton walked through the bustling halls of her high school. Graduation was two days away, and the noise level was deafening as kids banged locker doors, yelled greetings to each other, and ran from one class to another. She wished she were already on summer break like Sunny, but the older grades stayed in session an extra week after the elementary schools .
    She inhaled the scent of stale classrooms and floor wax with an underlying odor of sweaty gym clothes. High schools all smell the same . She stopped at her locker and absently turned the dial of her combination lock.
    Piper had known her share of schools. Her mother moved her from one school to the next after her father died in a terrible motorcycle accident. Piper had still been in grade school when she and her mom were robbed of the most important man in their life.
    After losing the love of her life, Piper’s mother led an elusive search to recapture her lost happiness. Her latest search had yielded a bald tattooed biker who went by the name of Spider. Piper’s mother had unceremoniously dropped her at Aunt Cassie’s door before she rode off on the back of Spider’s motorcycle, spouting