Killer Closet Case: a Danger Cove B&B Mystery (Danger Cove Mysteries Book 6) Read Free

driving all day? The place looks great, by the way," I added, hoping to divert the conversation from the downward spiral it was on.
    Mom and Dad both nodded, still giving me the cynical parental up-and-down look. It was like they had some kind of radar and knew my pockets were practically empty and that I'd coasted in on fumes with everything I owned in the back of my car.
    Mom's expression was still skeptical, but her voice was a bit more inviting. "The renovations are almost done. We have the most delightful guy heading the crew."
    Dad crumpled the paper to his lap. "Only because your mom had a problem with the girl I hired."
    Snorting, she turned toward him, hands on hips and toe tapping faster than I would've ever thought possible had I not witnessed it myself. Many, many times. "We discussed this. Ms. Jordan with Finials and Facades is more than qualified, and her finished homes are gorgeous, but Mr. O'Connell does landscaping work as well and included a discount if we gave him both contracts. It's all about the bottom line, honey."
    She turned away from him, nudging me with her elbow and waggling a brow, the judgy look now completely gone. She whispered from the corner of her mouth, "His bottom line is rather impressive, if you know what I mean."
    Dad snapped the paper back in front of his face. "I'm right here."
    "I love you, honey," Mom purred.
    "Mmm-hmm," he mumbled.
    She tugged me into the kitchen area. Sunshine poured through the window, glinting off the new stainless appliances and sparkling across the crystal veins in the granite counters. With the new white cabinets, it could've passed as a model kitchen in a magazine.
    I peered through the side window, and a squinty-eyed, sour-faced, bleached blonde glared back from the run-down Victorian house next door. She had on nothing but a sports bra that was barely able to contain its contents, and nearly nonexistent exercise shorts, with a short, silky yellow robe hanging from her shoulders.
    Mom pushed me out of the way, cast a haughty glare back at the half-naked, middle-aged woman, and dropped the closed mini-blinds. "Don't mind Patricia. I wish she could be more like the other neighbor. I've never really met him other than a casual wave. He's gone most every weekend and keeps to himself. But she, on the other hand"—Mom flipped her arm toward the window, pointing and setting off the cascade and clacking of bangle bracelets again—"is still hacked off that Mr. O'Connell started our rehab first. The guy, from Burke Construction or something, who she hired just up and disappeared. Not that I minded. He was really creepy, and I think he was hitting on me."
    Dad snorted. "I took care of that jerk. No one makes a move on my woman without facing the consequences and seeing the gun show." I glanced into the other room, already knowing he'd be flexing his biceps and acting like a goof.
    This wasn't exactly anything new. Dad had married above his station, so to speak, at least in high school terms. Mom was head cheerleader—popular and loved by all. Dad had played the drums in marching band (which was how they'd met at a football game), had a small group of friends who had a garage band (which was part of why Mom fell head over heels), and was extremely intelligent. Dad really hated when men flirted with Mom and obviously still felt like he needed to stake his claim. Which happened often. He really had nothing to worry about. Their love was most definitely a two-way street, as evidenced by the many public displays of affection I'd been subjected to, well, ever since I could remember. Nothing scarring, but definitely more kisses and butt swats than I really cared to see. Especially from my parents.
    Mom rolled her eyes and called out to Dad. "I'm sure that chat you had with him, with your finger poking into his chest and all, really sent him packing." Her tone was very supportive of my father's actions, but her shaking head and the smirk he couldn't see said otherwise. She