Kill Jill Read Free

p.m.
    “Am I the first to visit you?” Milly Reston says.
    “Yes. And I’m happy to meet you.”
    “You and Jack are engaged?”
    “We are.”
    Milly makes a sour face. “When a woman moves in with a man, there’s not much incentive for marriage. From the man’s point of view, I mean.”
    “I’ll keep that in mind,” Emma says.
    They’re at the kitchen table, drinking tea. The broccoli-cheese casserole Milly brought for Emma’s dinner is cooling on the counter, too hot for the fridge.
    “Our water’s fine, you know,” Milly says, eyeing the stack of bottled waters on the floor, by the hallway.
    “It’s a habit, I suppose.”
    “A costly one, if you ask me.”
    Emma shrugs.
    Milly says, “Want me to help put the canned goods in the cupboard?”
    “No, thanks.”
    “Why not?”
    “It’ll give me something to do later on.”
    “When’s Jack comin’?”
    “I’m not sure.”
    “I don’t mean the exact day. But later in the week? Next week?”
    “I really don’t know.”
    “You mean he might not show up for weeks ?”
    “He might not.”
    “ Months ?”
    Emma shrugs. “Jack’s traveling, trying to sell his business. He’ll come when he can.”
    “He just what, gave you his key ? Said move in, wait till he could join you?”
    “That’s right.”
    “He must really love you to trust you with his place.” She lets her eyes roam the room a minute, then whispers, “Have you gone through his things yet?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You know…snoop!”
    “No, of course not!”
    “Really?” Milly says. “Because I would! I’d do it in a heartbeat ! I’d open every door, read every receipt, learn everything I possibly could about the man.”
    “Why?”
    “ Why ? Hell girl, because you’re here and he’s not! Because you’re plannin’ to marry him! Because you’ll never have a better chance to learn his secrets ! Why are you lookin’ at me like that? Don’t tell me you’re not curious!”
    “Sorry. I’m not.”
    “Not even the teeniest, smallest amount?”
    “Not even.”
    “ Seriously , Emma?”
    Emma shrugs.
    Milly glances around the room again. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep! Not till I’d searched every nook and cranny. Every can in the cupboard. Every box in the attic. Every loose floor board under the carpet. The ice trays. The lining of his jackets and bedspreads. I’d search day and night till I found them all.”
    “Found what?”
    “His hiding places , silly! All men have them. And it’s our job to find out where they are. And what they’re hidin’ in them. And why. Are you okay, hon? You’re lookin’ at me funny again. Like you ate a bug or somethin’.”
    “I’m speechless,” Emma says.
    “Well, you can thank me later by tellin’ me what you found. And if you want, I’ll be glad to help. All you need do is ask.”
    “Thanks for the offer.”
    “Don’t mention it.” She lowers her voice and says, “How much of Jack’s past has he shared?”
    “Enough to get me here.”
    Milly nods. Then bites the corner of her lip and says, “Has he mentioned Abbie Rhodes?”
    “Not that I recall. Why?”
    “Just a town rumor. Take it with a grain of salt.”
    “Okay.”
    “I’ll say the secret if you want.”
    “No, that’s okay.”
    “If it was me, I’d want to know.”
    Emma says nothing.
    Milly frowns. “I should tell you.”
    “I’d rather you didn’t. But what can you tell me about the sheriff?”
    Milly raises an eyebrow. “You heard about him and Linda Craig?”
    “Not yet.”
    “Well!” she says. “You didn’t hear it from me, okay?”
    “Okay.”
    “Sheriff Cox and Linda dated in high school. He went to Arkansas State, she went to Southern Miss, married a football player. After her divorce last year, she moved back to town. Sheriff’s a married man, but word around town is he’s met her out by Palmer Lake at night.”
    “Has anyone seen them together?”
    “Ronny Tucker saw their cars together once. Says he slowed down