Hit and Run by Sandra Balzo Read Free Book Online

dirt you have on him that gives you free run of his house and other treasures.’
    A native Midwesterner, Joy had met Dickens Hart circa 1995, when she and a group of college friends came to the High Country for a girls-getaway. The couple had been married for just a year when Joy abruptly left the marriage – and town – with a hefty enough financial settlement to set local tongues wagging.
    Not that it took much.
    â€˜Are you kidding?’ Joy asked. ‘If everybody knows, I lose my leverage.’
    â€˜I’m writing his biography,’ AnnaLise said. ‘Are you telling me there’s a skeleton in an obscure closet that Dickens didn’t chronicle in the thousands of disturbing pages I’m sifting through?’
    â€˜You’ll have to let me know when you’re done sifting.’
    â€˜He
is
an interesting man,’ AnnaLise said.
    â€˜He … was.’ Joy’s tone was tinged with a note of regret, perhaps even genuine sadness.
    Although the two women had known each other casually from Joy’s annual visits to Sutherton, after her divorce they had struck up a true friendship when the older woman returned in September to open the spa at Hotel Lux on the summit of Sutherton Mountain.
    Now AnnaLise touched her friend’s arm. ‘I’m sure this isn’t easy for you, Dickens’ other wives and lovers showing up.’
    â€˜Actually, I’ve always been friendly with his two other ex-wives.’
    â€˜Do you think they’ll both be here?’
    â€˜Kate, my direct predecessor, died of breast cancer last year, but Shirley’s coming. She was Hart’s first wife and a real pistol. You’ll like her.’
    â€˜I’m sure I will.’ But, all of a sudden, AnnaLise’s stomach was tied in knots. ‘I’m glad you’re here.’
    â€˜What? You don’t want to meet your probably mutant half-brothers and half-sisters all by your lonesome?’
    â€˜Believe me, I’m never “by my lonesome” these days and, anyway, both Mama and Daisy are here with me.’
    Joy’s eyebrows were raised. ‘Well done. How did you ever manage that?’
    â€˜Played to their curiosity. And, at least on Mama’s part, a little of her greed. On my behalf, of course.’
    â€˜Of course. I have a hunch we’re in for an interesting weekend.’
    â€˜I’m glad you’re here,’ AnnaLise repeated, raising her glass in salute. ‘I was hoping that Bobby would come, too, to keep me sane.’
    â€˜And what am I, chopped liver?’
    â€˜No, but when it comes to the subject of Dickens Hart you’re certainly not a role model for mental balance.’ She held up her free hand. ‘Sorry. I’m a fine one to talk.’
    But her friend didn’t seem to have taken offense at her characterization. ‘Bobby’s even-keeled for the most part, I’ll grant him that, which would come in handy this Thanksgiving weekend.’
    â€˜Don’t I know it. We just ran into him, driving Roy Smoaks back from the airport.’
    â€˜What? You don’t think it’s heartwarming?’ Joy asked, seeing the look on AnnaLise’s face. ‘Grandfather and grandson discovering each other after a lifetime apart?’
    â€˜And, coincidentally, when said grandson has inherited the second-most impressive house on the lake.’ AnnaLise waved across the lake at Bradenham, with its trellised wooden deck cantilevered out over the lake. ‘Not that it seems enough for Roy. He was reminding Bobby that he – Bobby, I mean – was no longer part of Sutherton’s
ar-is-to-cra-cy
.’ She drew the word out like Smoaks had.
    â€˜Nice guy. But, as you said, it’s only the
second
most impressive, this place being numero uno.’
    AnnaLise shrugged. ‘Roy has no grounds to grouse about that. If Bobby
had
, indeed, been Dickens’ son instead of Rance’s, Roy