Page 93 of Call Back

Chapter 19

Fifteen minutes later, Blanche read a Bible verse—the most cursory part of this Bible study—and Ava declared the meeting adjourned. The reverend had showed up the week before, but there was no sign of him this time. The guests grabbed their purses and vacated the premises within two minutes. But I didn’t sit around and wait to watch them leave. Instead, I headed for the refreshment table and grabbed two plates to carry into the kitchen.

The table was cleared off, and I’d already begun putting food away when Ava walked through the door. I ignored her and continued putting the leftover poppy seed muffins into a Ziploc bag.

“Go ahead and get it off your chest,” she said.

Telling her how I felt would be a huge waste of my breath and my time. People like her thrived off reactions. The best way to tick her off would be to show no reaction at all.

“Really, Magnolia. Nothing to say?”

I turned toward her with the bag in my hand. “Actually, there is something.”

A smug look washed over her face. “Go on.”

“Have you considered taking the leftovers to a homeless shelter?” I asked, keeping my tone light and breezy. “It seems so selfish to not share them.”

The gleam left her eyes. “I’ll take it under consideration.”

“Okay,” I said. “Then I’ll just leave them on the counter. Or if you like, I can put them in a bag and drop them off myself.”

“Now you’re babbling,” she said in a harsh tone.

“Am I?” I asked. “I’m sorry. I’ll just quietly do my job.” I started storing the quiche in a plastic storage container.

“I know you want to talk about Janine.”

“What you do in your meetings is your concern.”

She remained behind me, staying silent as she watched me work.

I snapped the lid on the container and put it on the counter next to the refrigerator.

“For God’s sake, Magnolia Steele,” she groaned. “I thought you had more backbone than this.”

“What do you want from me?” I asked, letting my anger bleed through and instantly regretting it when I saw the triumph in her eyes. Well, shit. I’d already failed, but I could still turn this on her. “Why am I really living in your apartment?”

Her confusion made my slip worth it. “You needed an apartment.”

“You never rented it to anyone before. Why me?”

“Why not you?”

I could see she was regaining control of herself, but I wasn’t ready to let this go. If she wanted a reaction out of me, she was going to get it—and then some. “You rented it to me because of my father.”

“Really, Magnolia. Given his reputation, your connection to him would more likely be a deterrent.”

“You want me to find out about him. You asked me to look at that box in the attic on purpose.”’

“So dramatic,” she said, clucking her tongue. “I gave you that box because I want my attic cleaned out. Have you sorted through it as I asked?”

“No.”

“You really are an insolent girl, aren’t you?”

“Why did Colt start working for you two years ago?”

“That’s none of your business.”

---