Stardust A Novel by Carla Stewart Read Free Book Online

“Hey, I’m through crying over O’Dell. Not only did he leave me without any means of support, but I found a life insurance policy in his briefcase with her name on it.”
    “ Her, as in the woman he was stupid enough to leave you for? Was it someone you know?”
    I shook my head. “Fiona Callahan. I can only imagine what kind of person she is. One with plenty of wiles, apparently, if he’d take out an insurance policy with her as the beneficiary.” The self-pity I’d told myself I wouldn’t wallow in rose up like a phantom. I swallowed to keep it at bay, but tears sprang to my eyes.
    Sally reached a bejeweled hand across the table to me. “Hey, you don’t have to be brave on my account.”
    I drew my lips into a tight pose. “Thanks, Sal, but dang it, I’m sick of thinking about it day in and day out. I need to do something to get my mind off O’Dell, and crying all the time’s pathetic and weak. I’m open to suggestions.”
    “Well, the Magnolias can always use your help.”
    “I’m not society material. Just because you and Hudson are swimming in dough—”
    “Is that what you think? The Magnolias are a bunch of rich girls? Nu-uh-uh. Georgia, I love you more than all the china in my cupboards and half as much as your sweet girls, but I swear you jump to conclusions faster than a cricket with its tail on fire.”
    “I do not jump to conclusions. And crickets don’t have tails… do they?”
    We burst out laughing and spent the rest of the afternoon giggling like old times. It was medicine for my weary spirit, but when it was time to pick Rosey up from school, I wasn’t an inch closer to knowing how I would take care of my girls. Or even where to start.
    A phone call from Hugh Salazar, attorney-at-law, changed all that.

[ CHAPTER 6 ]
     

     
    I ’d known Hugh Salazar for as long as I could remember. When he wasn’t working on a case, he drank coffee and ate snickerdoodles at the counter of the Sweet Shoppe two doors down from his office. Not a lot of crimes are committed in Mayhaw, but Hugh was considered the best if you needed his services for a will, a contract, or a sticky divorce. He handled Aunt Cora’s affairs, and I say that tongue in cheek as he was one of the most frequent of her gentlemen callers at Mara Lee on State Street. Dark and handsome, his ominous presence in my life scared the bejesus out of me. But he wasn’t intimidating enough to keep me from showing up at his office every year on the anniversary of my grandfather’s death to ask if he’d heard from my parents.
    The year I was ten and had saved up twelve dollars from delivering the Mayhaw Messenger for Mr. Wardlaw, I went to him and asked him to hire a private investigator.
    “My parents’ names are Gordon and Justine Mackey, and the last place we lived was Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. I want you to have someone find them and give me an explanation of why they left me and when they’re coming back to fetch me. A person should know, don’tcha think?”
    “I know what their names were, Georgia. Justine was in my graduating class. I’ll tell you one thing, you didn’t get your pretty face from her.” He stroked the dark shadow of whiskers on his chin and looked at me over the top of his wire spectacles. “And twelve dollars wouldn’t be enough to get a private eye halfway across Texas. Your momma had her reasons, and you best give it up and concentrate on getting yourself out of the sixth grade.”
    “Fifth. I’m only in the fifth. Old enough to learn the truth, even if it ain’t pretty.”
    “You best not let your aunt Cora hear you say ain’t, or she’ll be having you write ‘I won’t say ain’t’ five hundred times.”
    I remembered huffing up my shoulders and glaring at him. “If you know the reasons, then I’ll give you the money and you can just tell me. ’Twould be the Christian thing for you to do, if you ask me.”
    He ruffled my hair and said, “You got the spunk, missy. Best be