It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis (Good To The Last Death #1) - Robyn Peterman Page 0,17

all there. Her body might be failing her but her mind was still sharp. And she still had the hots for Bob Barker.

The beeping of a horn pulled me from my sad thoughts.

“Missy’s here,” Jennifer said, grabbing June’s hand and pulling her toward the front of the house. “She’s gonna need help with the present!”

“I’m coming,” June said with a giggle as Jennifer dragged her along. “And you can scare her with your new face.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Jennifer shot back with a guffaw.

Heather sat down at the kitchen table and started to nibble on a ham salad sandwich. For a brief moment, I wondered where Sam and the others had gone. Quickly pushing the thought away, I focused on life… not death.

“I wasn’t going to bring this up tonight,” Heather said carefully. “And tell me to shut up if you want to discuss it at another time or never.”

“What?” I asked, sitting down next to her and pilfering a few sugary pecans from the top of the pies.

“Has the life insurance claim been settled yet?” she asked, leveling me with a concerned stare.

I should have figured she would ask. The fact that I was low on cash to buy coffee and filters was a clue. No one else really knew the sad, sordid details except Heather. She was smarter than hell and I didn’t know who else to go to.

“The investigation is over,” I said, feeling the need to cry. “They’ve determined it wasn’t suicide, and I should be seeing the life insurance money in the next month or two.”

“Those bastards should be strung up by their testicles,” Heather grumbled as she took my hand in hers and squeezed. “I’m sorry you had to fight for the money. Insurance companies are true evil.”

Sighing, I squeezed her hand back. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” I whispered as my eyes filled. “Steve would have never killed himself. Ever.”

“Agree,” Heather said. “It’s bureaucracy, and he had a large life insurance policy that they didn’t want to have to pay out.”

I nodded because words wouldn’t come.

“They tend to do that with car accidents,” Heather said, shaking her head. “I’m just glad it’s over. However, if you don’t see that money next month, you will tell me. I’ll be able to practice law soon and nothing would make me happier than taking that insurance company apart piece by piece.”

She would do it. Heather was not only my friend. She and Steve had gotten along great and been close. Her gift in helping me deal with the aftermath of the accident and the insurance company debacle was one I could never repay. She was golden to me.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“Back at you, birthday girl,” she said with a sad smile. “Now, wipe the tears. Steve would be very happy right now knowing that you beat those bastards.”

“We,” I corrected her. “We. You and me. We beat those bastards.”

“We did,” Heather agreed with a grin. “I plan to beat a lot of bastards in the near future.”

“And you will,” Jennifer announced as she, June and Missy entered the kitchen looking wildly guilty. “Most of the town is terrified of you. God knows I am.”

Heather laughed and flipped Jennifer off.

“Dude, once you pass the bar, you’re going to own this sleepy little place,” Missy said with a thumbs up.

The large bag they held between them began to move.

Shit. Had Sam gotten stuck in the bag? Had they accidentally captured a ghost? Could they even see the bag was moving or was it just me?

Feeling panicked, I did nothing. If they didn’t know the bag was moving there was no way I was going to tell them. My crazy was my own secret.

“SURPRISE!” all my friends yelled as they pulled out the cutest fuzzy red puppy I’d ever seen from the bag.

My sigh of relief would have been hilarious if I wasn’t about to break.

“It’s for you!” Jennifer said with no expression on her face to match her excited tone. “It’s a dog!”

“I can see that,” I said with a raised brow as the little thing wobbled right over and put its head on my foot.

“We figured you might be a little lonely out here,” Missy said, sitting down at my feet and petting the puppy.

The fuzz ball’s tail wagged a mile a minute and my heartbeat increased with joy… and fear.

Would a puppy notice dead folks? Would it freak him or her out?

“She’s also for security,” June said, as the little furry thing flopped onto