Treacherous Tart by Ellie Grant Read Free Book Online Page B

tonight. I’ll bring Chinese.”
    Maggie gave Ryan a dirty look, but her aunt was pleased with the idea.
    They stepped out of the sub shop and abruptly stopped in their tracks.
    Right in front of them was a large man, tall and heavyset. He wore an expensive black suit with a black fedora. He held his gold-headed cane with one gloved hand and a bouquet of white and red tulips in the other.
    â€œClara! So good to see you. I heard you’re looking for a special man in your life. I think it may be me.”

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Six
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    M aggie couldn’t believe it. Albert Mann was on the Durham Singles website? She’d never even thought of him being married, or otherwise.
    The man was a nuisance, as far as she was concerned. He’d been in and out of their business since she’d come home.
    Mann Development, Albert’s company, had been badgering Aunt Clara to sell the land the pie shop was on since before Maggie had come home. He’d been devious and underhanded about it, but had offered her alarge amount of money. He wanted to build a medical office building on the spot.
    Aunt Clara wasn’t interested in selling for any amount of money. She wanted to run the pie shop.
    â€œAlbert, I know you mean well.” Aunt Clara neatly stepped around him. “Now is not a good time. I just lost Donald. I’m not looking for a new beau yet.”
    He looked puzzled. “I had no idea you were already dating someone. It was a little flirtatious of you to already have one boyfriend and look for another. Are you a bad girl, Clara, my dear?”
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m going home.” Aunt Clara glared at Ryan. “You said you were taking us, didn’t you?”
    Ryan had also been paralyzed by the sight of the real estate developer standing there with flowers. “Oh. Sure. Sorry.” He rushed to open the passenger-side door on his Honda.
    â€œThank you.” Aunt Clara held herself very primly as she seated herself in the car, eyes straight forward. Ryan closed the door.
    â€œWell, Maggie. This must be some of your shenanigans.” Albert Mann rocked back on his heels and glared at her. “Clearly she wasn’t expecting the offer of a date.”
    â€œYou’re not supposed to show up,” she hissed. “You’re supposed to respond with an email. Have you ever done this before?”
    He ignored the question. “Who is Clara talking about anyway? Who is this Donald character?”
    â€œDonald Wickerson. Aunt Clara was very close to him. He died suddenly today.” Maggie hurried to the back door of the car as Ryan got in the driver’s seat and started the engine. “She’s distraught.”
    â€œYou’re not talking about that man in the Weekly , are you? The man who takes advantage of widows?” Albert shook his flowers at her. “And you have the nerve to set me up as a villain. I thought you’d take better care of your aunt.”
    Maggie closed her car door without a reply. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around all that had happened.
    Of all the men in Durham her aunt’s profile could have attracted, why had it attracted Albert Mann?
    He probably thought he could find a way to take advantage of her aunt. What was wrong with everyone? She’d thought it might be different with the older Silver Foxes dating group.
    It was hard to imagine him looking for his “true” love. On the other hand, she knew he had to be a member of the dating service to have seen Aunt Clara’s profile.
    This wasn’t what Maggie had had in mind at all.
    â€œWhat was going on back there?” Ryan spared a glance at her in the rearview mirror.
    â€œI don’t know,” she lied. “You know him. He’ll try anything.”
    â€œI can’t believe even he would be so callous,” Aunt Clara said. “Donald isn’t even in his grave, and there’s