Page 53 of Vows of Murder

Amy got me all caught up on her life, which had been going on around the wedding and festivities. They’d finished a guest bedroom in their new-to-them house and were making plans to update the kitchen.

We spent the last of our lunch just talking, and Amy took the check when Carrie brought it. “Wedding celebrations should be longer than just a few days.”

I hugged her as we left. She was going back to city hall to answer phones and deal with the mayor’s tasks. I was heading home to go sit on the beach again with Emma. I’d take my notebook with me and work on an idea for a book club. I felt like they did better with a theme. Maybe books written in or about California? That seemed a little limiting. Maybe I’d do a suggestion box for two weeks at the shop.

Suggest a theme for anew book club.

If there were two front-runners, we could do two. And one of my employees could runthe second one.

I hurried home to get Emma and my notebook. This was going to be fun.

As I doodled on my page, I realized Deek was walking across the sand to where I had set up my beach chair. Emma lay next to me, watching the waves. I think she was learning how torelax with me.

“Sorry to bother you, boss.” Deek came over and sat across from me, where he could still see the ocean. “I stopped by the house, then took a chance that you might be out here.”

“Not a bother. What’s going on?”

“I just had a feeling you needed me. And I’ve got a favor to ask.” He leaned back on his hands, his face tiltedup to the sun.

His arrival didn’t surprise me. Not after working with him for a few years. Deek had a bit of psychic in him. His mom was a fortune teller, and his godmother was Esmeralda. The sight was in his blood. And he was a true believer. “I did have a question. What do you think about us starting a book club? One for adults?”

“Wow. I hadn’t thought about anything like that. I should have. I guess with us being a tourist town, I didn’t think about the people who live close by. We could do bestsellers. Or maybe books that should have been bestsellers.” He leaned forward, excitedabout the idea.

“I was thinking about a contest.” I told him about my idea of putting a jar on the counter. “Maybe we give out a gift card for the shop for the winning idea. Or raffle it off if more than one person suggeststhe same idea.”

“I’m working tonight, and I’ll get something set up. This will be really fun. And maybe this summer, we could do a kids’ club. Maybe on Thursdays. We’d have to let the rooming houses know. Maybe they could have a copy of the weekly book on hand to sell, then the kids could get reading early. Especially since we’re closed on Mondays.” Deek kept brainstorming and pulled a small notebook out of his pocket to write down the ideas. He’d told me before that he always had something to write on just in case inspiration hit him. He’d gotten the idea from Greg. “I’ll bring it up at the next staff meeting and see if there’s anything elsethey can add.”

As we stood to walk back to my house, I paused as we climbed the stairs. “Wait, you had a question for me?”

He grinned, the smile covering his face. “I just need some time off in a couple of years. Mostlikely spring.”

I knew I was missing something from what he was saying, but I couldn’t put it together. “Sure. Areyou traveling?”

He nodded, and if anything, his smile grew. “I’ll be on tour with my first book. I got a call from my agent. She soldmy manuscript!”

Chapter 21

Greg decided to grill the pork chops I’d taken out for dinner. I’d made a pasta salad to go with the chops and we had frozen corn I’d warm up as well. As we sat outside, watching the chops, I told him about Deek’s news.

“So do we throw him a party now? Or when the book publishes?” He sat and took a drink from his iced tea.

“I think then, but I think we’ll do something at the next staff meeting. Maybe have Sadie do a cake?” Now I was grinning. “I can’t believe he’s already being published. It takes some authors years to get their first book out.”

“Our little boy’s a savant.” Greg rubbed Emma’s head.

“And to think, you didn’t like Deek when he showed up,” I reminded him. “Now you’re claiminghim as a son.”

“He grows on you.” Greg stood to turn the chops. “Sorry I was grumpy about you figuring out that I was interviewing O’Dell.”

“No problem. Did you learnanything new?”

Greg shook his head. “He was at the Castle with his older kid that morning. He’d been staying there since before the open house trying to catch his wife or Jimmy out in the community. His older kid, Tyler, said that he saw his dad sleeping before he went out for a runthat morning.”

“Wait, so Tanner didn’thave an alibi?”

Greg frowned. “The kid said he saw him before he left. And when he got back from the run, Tanner wasin the shower.”

“So how long does this kid run? He was on the basketball team. Maybe he runs long distance.” I could see I was pushing Greg’sbuttons. “It’s not a big thing. Mrs. O’Dell just gave away her half of their retirement savings to Kane.”

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