Death on the Coast, M Comley [book club books TXT] 📗

two of us. I’d just like to get to know him a little better. I’m intrigued to learn what he knew about Angie, and since you and she were close, maybe Angie mentioned you to him from time to time. Aren’t you curious?”

“Not in that way,” Kathy answered.

The strong masculine hand reached forward and pulled out the wooden chair sitting next to Kathy. “This okay?” Greg asked.

“Sure. Greg, I’d like to introduce you to Kathy Simpson. Kathy, this is Greg Dewhurst.”

“Hi, Greg.” Kathy said timidly. “Lucy was just telling me that you and Angie were acquainted. She and I were very close friends until just before her death,” she said, her voice dripping with sadness. “We had a little falling out over something silly and never got a chance to make it right.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. Yes, I’m here to pay my respects to my Angie girl. Let’s see, Kathy, Kathy…” His gaze drifted upward as if searching his memory. “Oh, yes, I believe she mentioned you. I got the impression you two were pretty chummy. What happened to break you up?”

Kathy appeared panicked, so Lucy stepped in.

“Oh, nothing serious. You know how females can be.” Lucy did her best to shift the spotlight from Kathy. She was far more interested in Greg’s relationship with Angie. “Greg, you never said, were you and Angie still actively dating?”

“Why?” he teased. “Is someone in particular asking?” His gaze flicked between Lucy and Kathy.

Kathy’s face turned bright red. She picked up her spoon and furiously stirred her already cold cup of coffee.

Lucy cleared her throat. “No, but you see, I was Angie’s friend. I’m also known hereabouts for being a bit of a sleuth. I’d like to know more about what happened with Angie. To give her daughter closure, you understand.”

He nodded. “Yes, I suppose even Christine deserves to know.”

Lucy thought his reply telling and yet mysterious at the same time.

“I’m sorry? Was there something unfortunate between Angie and her daughter that we don’t know about?”

Greg’s gaze dropped to his coffee, his fingers nervously tapped against the ceramic. Lucy wondered if she had innocently, but effectively, stumbled across something he hadn’t intended to reveal.

“Oh, nothing that every other mother and daughter don’t have to deal with, I suppose. For some reason, they both considered me as someone they could confide in. My guess is that they knew I’d be leaving soon, going back to sea, and there was no chance of me gossiping with anyone before I left. Angie wasn’t fond of gossip.”

Lucy’s brows rose as she made another stitch in her embroidery. She thought the opposite was true of her friend, but she said nothing, she just glanced at Kathy.

“When did you see her last?” Kathy asked.

“Oh, not sure. It’s been a few weeks, I suppose. I’m not one for dealing with dates. The sea is my clock and the weather its hands, and the seasons come and go freely, you understand?”

Both Lucy and Kathy nodded as though they were familiar with the ways of men who went to sea, however, something in his expression told Lucy that Greg might have a poor memory and was covering the truth. Had Angie been one of his many girls? Sailors were often rumored to have a girl in every port.

“Greg, has Christine mentioned anything to you about the funeral?” Lucy took a break from her embroidery, laying it on the table next to her. “People are asking me, and I’d like to announce it in the paper if there’s still time. Angie was a popular member of the community, and there are many of us who’d like to pay our respects.”

“Sorry, no clue,” he answered. “Christine is taking this hard, you know? Not just losing her mother, but it looks like the house might go to the bank, and there are other debts to be settled. The salon business was ready to close, anyway.”

“No!” Kathy and Lucy burst out in unison.

He nodded. “Christine says her mother was depressed. Some days she didn’t even go into work, and when she did, she was home by four and on the couch in front of the TV. You can’t do that for long and expect to stay in business, you know. The building was rented, and there’s no money to pay for that, plus her customers have all jumped ship, excuse the pun, and moved on to other stylists. It was bound to happen.”

“Why was she depressed?” Kathy interrupted before Lucy had the opportunity to ask.

He shrugged. “No idea. Like I said, it had been a few weeks since I’d seen her, and even then, only for a day. I spend most of my time on my boat.” He stopped and turned toward Kathy. “So, is it Miss or Mrs. Simpson?”

Kathy resembled a rabbit caught in the headlights. Her voice squeaked when she confirmed, “I’m not married.”

“Oh, really? Well, then I’m in luck, it would seem. I see they’re playing something from the forties at the Bijou. I don’t suppose you’d care to join me there tonight for a screening? I don’t get to see many movies out…”

“…at sea,” Kathy finished for him.

Lucy picked up her cup, embarrassed to be witnessing the intimate moment.

“I’d love to,” Kathy said. “I know they always screen the first film at seven. Would you like me to meet you there?”

“You took the words out of my mouth,” he said with a wink and a brief show of his pearl-white teeth.

Even Lucy’s heart turned over at the sight of that.

Kathy nodded enthusiastically.

“Well, then.” He tipped up his mug and finished his coffee in a single gulp. “I have a few errands to see to, so I’ll leave you lovelies for now. But you,” he said, gently touching Kathy’s shoulder, “I’ll meet you outside the Bijou at six forty-five. I would pick you up, but obviously, I don’t have a car.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” she said hurriedly, a blush coloring her cheeks again. “See you then.”

He saluted them and called a few farewells to