Dead Eye (A Tiger's Eye Mystery Book 1) by Alyssa Day Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alyssa Day
things Ford) and came bustling across the lawn, not bothering with the little paver-stone walkway she insisted we all use, so I knew it was serious. Jack followed behind her with packages from the bakery. I tried not to notice how the sun glinted off the deep bronze of his hair, or how really, truly excellent he managed to make a simple pair of jeans and a white sweater look. I told myself that my mouth was just watering because of the doughnuts, but it’s hard to lie to yourself successfully, so I didn’t believe me.
“Tess! I’m so glad you’re finally here!”
I pointedly looked at my watch. Donald Duck’s hands told me it wasn’t even nine-thirty, so “finally” was stretching it. She ignored my not-so-subtle hint and pulled me up off the swing and into a tight hug. Aunt Ruby was pleasingly plump, pink-cheeked, blue-eyed, and “If God wanted me to go gray, He wouldn’t have made Clairol” blonde. She was also four or five inches shorter than me, depending on the heel height of her orthopedic shoes, so I had to lean into her hug, which I was happy to do.
She smelled like honey-glazed doughnuts and home, and she squeezed me harder than usual before letting go. “I was so upset about Chantal, and so worried about you last night. It was all I could do to respect your wishes and let you sleep ,” she said, pursing her lips and casting a glance back at Jack, who’d wisely taken the stone path instead of walking on the grass.
Jack winced. “Sorry, Tess. I ran into Ruby at the bakery and told her that you’d been kind enough to make me dinner last night.”
Uncle Mike shot an outraged look at me. “You had a man you don’t even know in your house at night ? Alone ?”
I sat back down, closed my eyes, and thumped the back of my head against the swing a few times. “I do know him, Uncle Mike. You know him. We all know him. He’s Jeremiah’s nephew. We grew up in the same town.”
Uncle Mike was unmoved by my logic. “We knew him then. We don’t know him now. From what I read, he’s been involved in a lot of the crazy violence going on in the US for years.”
“Standing right here,” Jack put in, his voice mild.
“We’re business partners now. You’re going to have to get used to it,” I told Uncle Mike. “And I’m not a little girl anymore. I can invite anybody I want over for dinner. Molly’s coming over tonight, and Owen is coming over Saturday. Do you have a problem with that too?”
“Still standing right here,” Jack said, a little louder this time. “And who’s Owen?”
I gave him a narrow-eyed look. “None of your business, that’s who Owen is.”
“He’s her dentist,” Aunt Ruby helpfully piped up. “And her boyfriend.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that an ethical breach? Not to mention weird. Do you talk about how many cavities you have, and whether you’re flossing enough when you’re on a date?”
I buried my face in my hands. “Doughnuts are so not worth this. I’m leaving.”
“Chocolate-covered Bavarian crème,” Aunt Ruby said in a sing-song voice.
“On the other hand… Gimme.” I hopped back up out of the swing and snatched one fragrant bag out of Jack’s hands.
“I don’t think your boyfriend would approve of all that sugar,” Jack said, a hint of laughter in his voice.
Some mornings, a girl just couldn’t catch a break.
Chapter Six
T he three of us sat around the kitchen table, because nobody ever used the dining room except for Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners. Aunt Ruby busied herself making coffee, putting out little yellow plates, and casting worried glances at her husband.
“Now, don’t start, Mike. Let the poor boy eat his doughnut in peace,” she admonished, patting Jack on his shoulder as she walked by.
I rolled my eyes. The “poor boy” looked like he could bench press her Chevy.
Jack grinned smugly at Uncle Mike. “Thank you, Mrs. Callahan. You were always my favorite person in town.”
She beamed. “I bet
“Tess! I’m so glad you’re finally here!”
I pointedly looked at my watch. Donald Duck’s hands told me it wasn’t even nine-thirty, so “finally” was stretching it. She ignored my not-so-subtle hint and pulled me up off the swing and into a tight hug. Aunt Ruby was pleasingly plump, pink-cheeked, blue-eyed, and “If God wanted me to go gray, He wouldn’t have made Clairol” blonde. She was also four or five inches shorter than me, depending on the heel height of her orthopedic shoes, so I had to lean into her hug, which I was happy to do.
She smelled like honey-glazed doughnuts and home, and she squeezed me harder than usual before letting go. “I was so upset about Chantal, and so worried about you last night. It was all I could do to respect your wishes and let you sleep ,” she said, pursing her lips and casting a glance back at Jack, who’d wisely taken the stone path instead of walking on the grass.
Jack winced. “Sorry, Tess. I ran into Ruby at the bakery and told her that you’d been kind enough to make me dinner last night.”
Uncle Mike shot an outraged look at me. “You had a man you don’t even know in your house at night ? Alone ?”
I sat back down, closed my eyes, and thumped the back of my head against the swing a few times. “I do know him, Uncle Mike. You know him. We all know him. He’s Jeremiah’s nephew. We grew up in the same town.”
Uncle Mike was unmoved by my logic. “We knew him then. We don’t know him now. From what I read, he’s been involved in a lot of the crazy violence going on in the US for years.”
“Standing right here,” Jack put in, his voice mild.
“We’re business partners now. You’re going to have to get used to it,” I told Uncle Mike. “And I’m not a little girl anymore. I can invite anybody I want over for dinner. Molly’s coming over tonight, and Owen is coming over Saturday. Do you have a problem with that too?”
“Still standing right here,” Jack said, a little louder this time. “And who’s Owen?”
I gave him a narrow-eyed look. “None of your business, that’s who Owen is.”
“He’s her dentist,” Aunt Ruby helpfully piped up. “And her boyfriend.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that an ethical breach? Not to mention weird. Do you talk about how many cavities you have, and whether you’re flossing enough when you’re on a date?”
I buried my face in my hands. “Doughnuts are so not worth this. I’m leaving.”
“Chocolate-covered Bavarian crème,” Aunt Ruby said in a sing-song voice.
“On the other hand… Gimme.” I hopped back up out of the swing and snatched one fragrant bag out of Jack’s hands.
“I don’t think your boyfriend would approve of all that sugar,” Jack said, a hint of laughter in his voice.
Some mornings, a girl just couldn’t catch a break.
Chapter Six
T he three of us sat around the kitchen table, because nobody ever used the dining room except for Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners. Aunt Ruby busied herself making coffee, putting out little yellow plates, and casting worried glances at her husband.
“Now, don’t start, Mike. Let the poor boy eat his doughnut in peace,” she admonished, patting Jack on his shoulder as she walked by.
I rolled my eyes. The “poor boy” looked like he could bench press her Chevy.
Jack grinned smugly at Uncle Mike. “Thank you, Mrs. Callahan. You were always my favorite person in town.”
She beamed. “I bet