Flowers for Her Grave - By Judy Clemons Page 0,100
It seems so…complicated. Did Maria know about Andrea, or not? Was Richie going to marry her now? And why did Maria wait so long to kill Andrea after she knew about her? I have all these theories, but none of them really works.”
Death conjured up a stone and threw it into the sea. “Remember back on your first day, when Maria stood here and said how un-beautiful things could be? We had no idea what she was really talking about, or how ugly it was going to become for her. For everyone close to her.”
Casey stood for several minutes, listening to the waves, trying to erase the movie in her head of Maria pummeling Andrea to death, and stabbing Brandon. Something about the whole scenario was still eluding her. But perhaps that didn’t matter anymore. Binns was on the case. She turned back toward the building. “I’ve had enough. Let’s go.”
At the pool, Casey spied Del overseeing a table of food. He wore a tall, white chef’s hat, and a smile a mile wide. Casey was glad he could start his restaurant free of guilt. She saw other people, too. Vonnie, the gossip, surrounded by a group of women, all talking loudly, each hoping to be heard over the others. Bernie, the older woman who had been one of Brandon’s conquests, leaning a little too close to a younger man. Marcus, Casey’s Energizer Bunny client, handing a drink with an umbrella to Sissy, who sat on a high stool by a little round table. Sissy caught Casey’s eye and held up the drink, as in a toast. Casey didn’t respond. It was all too weird. All of these people, back to normal, with Andrea dead less than a week, Brandon gone forever, and Maria’s life basically over. But then, none of them even knew about that.
Casey looked a little further and found Tamille with a small cluster of people along the side of the pool, their feet dangling in the water. Casey was going to walk right past, but Tamille spotted her. “Hey, girl! Come have a drink!”
“No, thanks. I’m headed up. I’m exhausted.”
“Want some company?”
“No, I’m good, thanks. Enjoy yourself.”
Casey continued on into the building. The lobby bar was much more subdued than the pool area, but there were people in small groups, talking quietly over drinks. Jack leaned on the bar, talking to a woman on a stool. Casey smiled when she saw who it was, and walked over. “Hey, you two.”
Jack smiled. “Hey, yourself.”
Laurie turned and smiled at her. Casey wouldn’t say she looked like a new woman, but she was a far cry from the crazed lunatic in the bushes the night before.
Jack held up a glass. “Want a drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m headed upstairs. It’s been a long, long week.”
Laurie almost met Casey’s eyes, but not quite. “I’m sorry about…everything.”
“Yeah. Me, too. You’ve had a rough time, haven’t you?”
Laurie’s lips twitched, and she sent a quick glance toward Jack before looking back at Casey. “I’m hoping things are about to get better.”
“Yes. I hope so, too.”
Jack winked at Casey. “I told Laurie here I much prefer talking to women my own age. Those young things don’t have enough between their ears to keep me interested. If all someone has to offer is a pretty outside, they’re not worth the time it takes to learn more than their name. Someone with some miles under her belt, now, is much more interesting.” He shot an admiring look at Laurie. “Laurie here has the potential to keep my attention for quite some time.”
Laurie blushed prettily, her eyes meeting Jack’s.
Jack tore his eyes from hers and nodded toward the other side of the room. “Thought that might interest you, Daisy.”
In a darkened corner, Krystal sat with Andrea’s parents on a sofa. What looked like a photo album lay open on Mrs. Parker’s lap, and Krystal leaned over, pointing at something. Her arm was on the older woman’s shoulders, and Mr. Parker looked at the book with the closest Casey had seen him to having animation.
“You know what that’s about?”
Jack shook his head. “No idea. None of my business, anyway, is it?”
“Of course not.” Casey yawned widely, and covered it with her hand. “Sorry.”
“Go get some rest, Daisy. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Right.”
Laurie touched her arm. “And maybe we can have that talk about water aerobics sometime?”
Casey smiled. “I’d like that.”
She left the two talking, and headed toward the elevator. Krystal looked up as Casey passed, and waved her over. “Thank you.”