Secrets in a Still Life, Kari Ganske [best fiction books to read .TXT] 📗

another unreadable look and folded himself into the back seat of the VW bug.

When he was stuffed back there, I awkwardly plopped back into the front seat.

Colleen put the car in gear. "Where to?"

We ended up in a back booth at Plum Crazy Diner. Again, nostalgia hit me like bird poop hits a shoulder—unexpected and unwanted. How many times had the three of us sat here just like this over milkshakes and fries? Too many to count. We'd been almost inseparable in elementary and middle school. I was the glue that held our trio together. I'd been friends with both Linc and Colleen individually first, then introduced them to each other. Later, after Linc joined the Snob Blob in high school, it had been me and Colleen. He tried to join us a few times, but we quickly found we no longer had that much in common with him. I focused on photography and art classes; Colleen had her early childhood internship. And Linc had sports and parties with the "in" crowd. Parties that Colleen and I were not invited to. Nor did we care to be.

Or at least that's what we told ourselves.

Linc helped me slide into the booth beside Colleen. He propped my crutch against the wall beside us, then took the bench across. Colleen sat with head lowered and hands folded on the table as though about to get scolded. I drummed my fingers on the table as we sat in awkward silence.

Linc looked about to say something when Ms. Peggy Sue—yes, that was her actual name—wandered over to take our orders. Her hair may have had a bit more gray in it and her hips a bit wider, but her bright, welcoming smile and raspy, I-smoke-a-pack-a-day voice was just as I remembered.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," she said. "I haven't seen you three in here since before the last president."

"Hi, Ms. Peggy Sue," I said. "Long time no see."

"No kidding. Still want the sweet and salty, or do you have more adult palates now?" she asked, remembering our usual order of milkshakes and fries.

"I mean, I don't think you're ever too old for a milkshake," I said, smiling. "Make mine a double-thick malt. And can I actually see a menu?"

Peggy Sue pointed to the laminated rectangles sticking up from the napkin holder. Of course. This wasn't New York where anything not nailed down would walk. Here, in Piney Ridge, you could leave the napkin holders with menus and even condiments right on the tables.

I looked over the choices while Colleen ordered a Coke and a piece of apple pie, and Linc ordered a coffee—black.

"You ready?" Peggy Sue asked, eyebrows raised toward me.

"I think so. You might want to write this down; I'm a bit hungry." My stomach rumbled in confirmation. I hadn't had much to eat today, since moving from the couch to the kitchen was a bit of a production with my ankle.

"Honey, I've been working this diner for longer than you've been alive, and I haven't written down an order yet. Hit me with your best shot."

"Okay. But don't say I didn't warn you." I ran my finger down the menu. "I'll have the honey-glazed chicken, but can I substitute the pepper jack cheese for provolone? And add a side of seasoned fries and an egg over medium."

"That all?"

"And some bacon. On the side. And a piece of wheat toast with butter," I added, replacing the menu where I found it.

"One bee's knees sub round for spicy, sassy fries, sloppy eggs and wheat, and pig parts. Got it," Peggy Sue repeated and sauntered away.

I looked from Colleen's astonished face to Linc's amused one. "What? Spy work makes me hungry."

"Ah-ha!" Linc said, pointing a finger at me across the table. "You admit you were spying tonight."

"So what if we were? Whose house was Mike visiting?"

"Nope. I'm not helping you two on your path to self-destruction. And I'm not ratting out a neighbor." Linc sat back with his arms crossed. Like the mature, world-savvy adult I was, I stuck my tongue out at him.

Peggy Sue brought over our drinks and some complimentary bread. As I watched her dole them out, I got an idea. Didn't Linc mention that everyone knew about Mike's affairs? And didn't everyone in Piney Ridge end up in Plum Crazy Diner at one point or another?

"Isn't it awful about Missy?" I asked Peggy Sue as she placed the milkshake in front of me.

"A life ended too soon. And in such a violent way. Things like that don't happen in Piney Ridge," Peggy Sue said and made the sign of the cross.

"And poor Mike. He must be devastated to lose his wife."

Linc sat up a little straighter, not trusting me.

Peggy Sue snorted. "Yeah, right. He might not even notice."

"Really? Why is that?" I tried my best to look innocent and wide eyed.

"Please. That man didn't even wait for the ink to dry on his marriage certificate before he cheated on Missy. And about as discreet about it as a catfight."

"Wow. I missed so much gossi—er, news, being away."

I waited a beat, then gasped as though I just thought of something. Linc rolled his eyes at my theatrics. I ignored him.

"Do you think maybe the mistress killed Missy, so she could have Mike all to herself?" I asked.

"Who, Crystal?" I tried not to look too smug. Linc frowned. "She wouldn't hurt a fly. Besides, even with Missy out of the way, she wouldn't have Mike all to herself."

"Oh, because of the kids," I said, shaking my head in mock pity.

"Them too. But mainly on account of Mike having more than one bed to warm in town. Even though Crystal is his main fling, he never met a pretty woman he didn't try to seduce.