LOWCOUNTRY BOOK CLUB Read Free Page B

grandmother left me was fringed on all sides by porches, but this was our favorite spot. Rhett, my golden retriever, stretched out in the sun at our feet.
    The rhythmic song of waves on the sand worked the tension from me. I inhaled a deep, cleansing breath of salt air. How blessed was I to live in this magical place.
    â€œ I appreciate you not putting Fraser Rutledge in his proper place,” said Nate. “ I was sorely tempted to take care of that bit of business myself, but this case calls to me.”
    â€œ Me too. But dear Heaven, what nerve that man has. A tiger by the tail. Miz Talbot. Clearly he disapproves of me. Proper Southern ladies take their husband’s last name. And they most assuredly are not private investigators. Whatever. I want justice for Shelby and Clint. On that we can agree. And Fraser surely is entertaining.”
    â€œ He is that. And he has three last names. First one’s spelled funny.”
    â€œ Those are all likely family names. I bet his ancestry is fascinating.”
    â€œ Is this your mamma’s chicken salad?”
    â€œ I made it. Why?”
    â€œ This is the best chicken salad I’ve ever tasted in my life.”
    â€œ You like hers better.”
    â€œ She uses the bad-for-you mayonnaise.”
    â€œ Get used to it.”
    â€œ I’m not complaining, Mrs. Andrews. This is fine chicken salad. And I appreciate your care with our health.”
    â€œ I love it when you call me that.” I smiled from the joy of it. “ You really do understand, don’t you?”
    â€œ Why you won’t legally take my name? Of course I understand, Slugger. Don’t go letting Fraser Rutledge get under your skin.”
    â€œ I can be your wife without notifying the DMV and ordering new stationery.”
    â€œ You’re a fine wife. Even if you aren’t a hundred percent proper. Truth be told, the more improper you are, the better I like it.” His slow grin made all manner of suggestions.
    A fire ignited deep in my core. I sipped my iced tea, doused the flames as best I could. “ We have work to do. How about you start going through those boxes, and I’ll start setting up profiles for Shelby, Clint, and anyone with a connection to the case. You can toss me names as you come across them.”
    â€œ That’ll work.”
    We finished our lunch and headed inside. Rhett snuffed his disapproval and scampered down the steps to play in the yard. Nate and I settled into the large room off the front hall. Originally a living room roughly the size of a ballroom—Gram had loved to entertain—it now served multiple functions. The front half, to the right as you walked in, was still a living room, with an oversized green sofa flanked by wingbacks in a tropical print. Straight ahead, on the far wall, was a fireplace with two reading chairs. The left side of the room held my desk and two leather visitor chairs. Bookcases lined the wall behind my desk and on either side of the fireplace. Though we’d furnished a separate office for Nate in one of the former guest rooms, we most often worked together in here.
    â€œ I’m going to set up the case board and grab a couple of six-foot tables to spread this stuff out on,” he said.
    â€œ Hey, would you hand me Shelby’s death certificate from the file?”
    â€œ Sure thing.” He opened the box marked “ 1” and flipped through the folders.
    I turned on my computer. Nate laid the form on my desk on his way to the storage room underneath the house adjacent to the garage. By the time he came back, I was deep into setting up an electronic case file for Clint Gerhardt. Through Rutledge and Radcliffe, he was our client. But in my mind, the client was his deceased wife, Shelby. I would start with her.
    I began my profile with her basic data, which was on her death certificate. I liked to know as much about everyone involved as possible. It was impossible to predict