Page 19 of The Pink House

“I’ll be happy to.” Beverly studied her with blue eyes gone sharp and assessing. “Does someone live in this house? Or is it deserted?”

“I saw a couple of women on the porch.” Hannah kept her response vague, just in case this was nothing.

A spark flared in Beverly’s eyes. “Women in the woods. I can’t wait to tell Geraldine.”

When Hannah opened her mouth, Beverly gestured with one hand. “I’ll also ask around. I’ll definitely let you know if I discover anything.”

“I’d appreciate it.” Seeing the continued speculation in Beverly’s blue eyes had Hannah adding, “I’m simply curious.”

Beverly winked. “I’m the curious sort, too.”

The older woman turned to Charlie. “Why don’t you be a good host and introduce her around?”

Charlie’s smile came easily. “I was just about to do that.”

The sound of a fiddle and a banjo cut through the conversation and laughter. Hannah’s gaze was drawn to a small wooden platform, barely a foot off the ground, where two musicians, one in his late forties, the other in his midteens, were tuning up.

Hannah narrowed her gaze. “Is that Dwight Richards?”

Dwight had been a programmer who’d worked for Hannah’s father in the IT department at GraceTown National Lab.

“You’ve got a good eye. That is him, and that’s his son Eli on the keyboard.” Charlie grinned when the two kicked into a Beach Boys classic.

“You hired them to do background music?”

Charlie laughed, a full-throated robust sound. “Nah, Eli wants to be a full-time musician one day. He’s fifteen now. He and his dad volunteer to play at different events to give him experience.”

Hannah didn’t recall Dwight and his wife living in the neighborhood when she’d left for college, but a lot had changed since then. “Do they live around here?”

“Down the block and around the corner.” He inclined his head. “What can I get you to drink?”

“White wine?”

Striding over to the galvanized tub, he grabbed a beer for himself and one of the small bottles. Returning, he offered it to her. “Don’t go all wild and crazy.”

She laughed and unscrewed the cap. “No promises.”

Taking a sip, she let the taste linger on her tongue and smiled.

“You like it?”

Hannah took another sip. “Not quite as satisfying as a Diet Coke and Cheetos.”

“Not much compares to that.” Charlie took a long pull from the beer bottle.

The laugh that rose inside Hannah felt good. “So true.”

Hannah turned to see Lisa behind her, leaning on a four-pronged cane. She smiled at her hostess. “It’s nice of you to have everyone over. I appreciated the invitation.”

“Last year was our first in the neighborhood.” Lisa glanced around the yard filled with people. “We moved in at the end of summer and had been here about a month when we decided to throw a party. This one was actually Charlie’s idea.”

Charlie shook his head, his eyes on his mother soft. “You did most of the planning for both.”

“Did my dad and Sandie come to your party last year?” Her father had known Charlie and Brian were good friends, so it seemed odd he hadn’t mentioned that Charlie and his mother lived next door.

“They, ah…” Charlie began.

“They had other plans that weekend.” Lisa smiled. “Sandie and your dad had a busy social life.”

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