Page 15 of Vows of Murder

“He acts like a used car salesman. And not the good ones.” Amanda sighed. “I was lonely. He was so attentive before we got married. Then he quit his job and hung around the house. He said he was planning this new business venture, but he never got it off the ground. At least,not until now.”

“Does he know about the last couple years?” I avoided using the wordcancer.

Amanda shook her head. “I don’t want him to know. He’d marry me in a heartbeat to be my beneficiary. But if I ever remarry, it will be for love. Not to have someone to take care of me.”

As we headed home, I thought that maybe Amanda had also grown in the last year or so. Facing a life-threatening illness or situation had that effect on people. She was quiet as I drove down the highway. You could still see the ocean, but soon the sun would setand we’d be plunged into darkness until the next morning. Unless it was a full moon.

From what I could see, Amanda was still pulling herself out of the darkness, but at least she could see a light at the end.

I let Emma out as soon as I got home, then turned to Amanda. “I have ice cream or wine or we could do both. Maybe find a reality television show and make fun of the contestants?”

She leaned on the doorway to the kitchen. “That sounds lovely, but I’m tired. I think I’m going to my room to read. Do you have a bottle of waterI could have?”

I handed her the water and waited until I heard the door shut upstairs before letting Emma inside. I sat down at the kitchen table with a glass of wine and texted Greg about our dinner.

The responsecame back fast.

Vince Penn? Are you sure?

He introduced himself. He was with Molly Cordon. Should I be worried about her?

There was a long pause. Then Greg responded.Molly’s not your concern. We’re getting married on Saturday, remember?

Vaguely. I just hope my fiancé remembers and shows up for the ceremony. And I remember whathe looks like.

Believe me, even if I have to ask Lorenzo from Bakerstown to arrest my suspect, I’ll be at the altar waiting for you on Saturday. Speaking of that, Jim has a room for me at the Castle for Friday night. Just don’t want you to worry if I don’t come home.

So you can’t see me the night before thewedding, right?

Exactly. It gives both of us a night to run away if we want, without having to do it at the ceremony.

You’re silly. It was probably to keep the couple from fighting due to the stress before the wedding. When are you coming home?

Probably about ten.Eat without me.

We already have, remember? Your mom is upstairs reading.She was tired.

Again, his response was delayed. I was about to tell him to go work and not worry about me,when he texted.

I hope she’s not talking to Vince. Anyway, I need to go. Love you.

Love you too.

I set down the phone and looked at the ceiling. It wasn’t like I could stop her from contacting anyone she wanted to, but I didn’t think after what happened this evening that she would reach out to him. But you never knew what was going on in other people’s relationships. I’d just have to take her at her word.

Emma was watching me from the corner of the kitchen. “Want to go watch acooking show?”

She barked her enthusiastic response and we moved the party into the living room, where I had a book to read. We could only control what was in our area of influence and Greg’s mom did not fall under mine. She might someday, but not today. Today I was going to watch junk television and eat junk food. And worry about my wedding.

Chapter 7

Tuesday morning, Greg was already out of the house when I woke up. I knew he’d come home because there were dirty clothes in the laundry basket. And his towel was wet, so he’d showered sometime this morning. I dressed in my running clothes and headed downstairs to sip half a cup of coffee and get Emma ready to run. The door to Amanda’s room was closed when I walked by, so I assumed she was still asleep.

We got down to the beach before anyone else was there. Of course, early morning January wasn’t a prime beach time, except for people looking for wash ups and shells. I had enough shells to cover the outside of my house. Or at least the garage. Instead, I put the shells I collected in a container for a future mystery project. I didn’t know what I was saving them for, but when I found the perfect craft, I’d have more than enough.

I unhooked the leash and let Emma run next to me. She liked running in the waves, getting doused at times and sometimes biting at the wave like she could control its path. Emma was the original law-of-attraction thinker. If she focused enough, I would take her for a run or give her a special treat. Sometimes I failed her positivity test, but Greg never did. He was attached to my dog almost as much as he loved me. Or at least that’s what I told myself. I loved seeing them together, but Greg was the better dog parent.

It was a fact of life that I needed to accept. But thinking of her theory of life made me remember the book Kane had given me. I should take it back, but maybe I should read it before I did. Just to see what he thought would bring us closer.

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