Murder in the Marigolds by Dale Mayer (best young adult book series .txt) 📕

necessarily,” he said, “but I don’t know estate law, and he certainly has a team of lawyers, so I’m guessing the answer to that question is maybe. But, what if he is friendly, gets back in your life to some degree, and wants to help you sort out this mess? And he finds out where her stash of goods is, then goes after it himself, because that’s what he is really after.”

“So we’re back to thinking that he’s here because of her, and he’s only coming around me because he thinks that she gave me something.”

He waggled the USB key. “She did.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, as she contemplated it. “I guess,” she said quietly. “There’s another easier answer too. What if he can make another will, dated later than that one, with his name on it. Using the same document and just change out the details?”

He smiled gently. “And I can see that he might want to try to at least alter this document, so that your name isn’t on there. That would certainly be easy enough to do. It depends on whether she had a chance to file it or not.”

“And could he change that one?”

“He’d just file one between the time that she filed this one and her death.”

“As if she would have immediately changed her mind and filed another one?”

“It happens,” he said, as he stood on the front step and looked out at all the neighbors. “Families are weird, and, when they find out they are or are not in a will, they can change. People have changed their wills in a heartbeat, just from finding out something about somebody or what somebody did to someone else,” he said. “So I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“In other words, we still have a lot of digging to do,” she said. “And now you’re making me even more freaked out about my ex.”

“You should be,” he said seriously. “I didn’t like you going out with him last night. I really didn’t like to see that he came here this morning, and now? After seeing this? I think you’re in even more danger.”

“What about Robin’s ex-husband?” Doreen asked.

“That’s another reason I’m going to the office,” he said, now pocketing this latest USB. “I will contact Vancouver and see if I can get that file and get some follow-up to look for any current history on him.”

“Good idea,” she muttered. She beamed and said, “And, of course, you’ll tell me all about what you find out, won’t you?”

“In your dreams,” he said cheerfully, as he quickly jogged down the steps to his truck.

“I helped you,” she called out.

“And I’m helping you too.” He walked to the driver’s side, hopped into the truck, then, leaning through the open window, said, “Remember to stay safe.”

And he turned on the engine and backed out of the driveway, as she watched him go. As soon as he was out of sight, she immediately went down the steps, and, with the animals at her side, snuffling through the tall grass, she searched among the plants.

Almost immediately Richard stepped out and asked, “What are you doing?”

She sat back on her heels, looked up at him, and said, “Checking out the marigolds. Why?”

He crossed his arms and frowned at her. “I heard him. He pretty well said, Stay out of trouble.”

“Weeding my marigolds is hardly trouble.”

He looked at her suspiciously. “Anything that’s a plant seems to cause you trouble.”

She burst out laughing. “Hey,” she said, “I’ve been doing a lot for plants around here.”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, with a grumble. “Remember. stay out of trouble.” And he stepped back inside and slammed the door. As she sat here on her heels, wondering at the craziness of her neighborhood, she had to wonder if he was worried about her staying out of trouble for her sake or his own.

“I bet it’s just because he doesn’t want the Japanese tourists back again,” she muttered to Mugs.

Mugs barked and then barked again, rolling around on the tall grass right beside her. She reached over, scratched his belly, and then, overcome with emotion and enjoying having him close, she gave him a great big hug. He whimpered and got riled, as he got free of her arms and started to do zoomies on the front yard. She sat here and laughed and laughed, until he finally collapsed beside her, panting. Goliath, far too superior for such displays, had just laid in the tall grass beside her the whole time. As soon as Mugs collapsed nearby, the big cat reached out with long claws and whacked Mugs across the forehead. Mugs yelped and immediately backed up out of reach. And Goliath stretched even farther out in the grass, as if claiming the space.

Doreen smiled, as she looked down at the two of them, but Thaddeus wasn’t here. She hopped her feet and called out, “Thaddeus? Thaddeus!”

At the far end of the garden came his cry. “Thaddeus is here. Thaddeus is here.”

She walked over to see what he was up to. “Are you getting into trouble?” she scolded.

“Are you getting into trouble?” he said back at her.

She groaned, dropped to her knees, and said, “No, I’m not in trouble. You’re the one that’s been getting into trouble lately.”

“Are you into trouble? Are you into trouble? Are you into trouble?”

“No,” she said. She reached down, and he immediately hopped onto the back of her hand and climbed up her arm. When he sat on her shoulder, he crooned up against her cheek and said, “Thaddeus loves Doreen.”

She smiled and cuddled him closer. “Well, I’m really glad to hear that,” she said. “Because Doreen really loves Thaddeus.”

They sat here in the grass, as a family, and she thoroughly enjoyed the moment. Just then her phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and smiled. “Good morning, Nan.”

“Good morning, dear,” she said. “I have fresh warm croissants and clotted cream.”

“Oh,” she said, “clotted cream. I haven’t had that in,” and then she stopped.