The Maine Events, Rodney Riesel [best books to read in your 20s TXT] 📗

seated on a wicker sofa with his nose buried in acrossword puzzle magazine. The patio furniture was a matching six-piece set. Itconsisted of a sofa and two chairs. The Roses had arraigned them in the shapeof a U, with an end table at each end of the sofa and a coffee table in themiddle. A bottle of Coors Light sat on the end table to Rose's left. He lookedup over the top of his reading glasses.

“Hey, Crane,” said Rose. “Ya find the place okay?”

“Yeah,” Allen replied. “I often wonder how folks found theirway around before GPS.”

“We used maps, Crane. It wasn't that difficult.”

Allen took a seat in the chair to Rose's right with his backto the house.

“Can I get you a drink?” Rose asked.

“Thanks, Harriet is fixing me one.” Allen looked over at thedogs. They had already tired of their game and were lying in the grass, pantingcontentedly.

The door slid open, and Harriet stepped onto the patio. Shewas holding her glass of wine as well as Allen's tequila and Coke.

“Here you are,” Harriet said, handing Allen his glass.

“Thank you.”

“Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes,” Harriet toldthe men.

She sat down in the chair across from Allen and put her barefeet upon the coffee table.

“Smelled really good in there,” said Allen. “Thank you forthe invite.”

“Thank you for coming,” Harriet replied.

Rose closed his crossword book and tossed it on the table.“Allen has been seeing Mya Duffy,” he informed his wife.

“Mya Duffy,” Harriet repeated. “Why does that name soundfamiliar?”

“She was Jim Tucker's girlfriend.”

“Oh, Mya,” Harriet recalled. “Beautiful girl. Howlong have you been in town?”

“A week,” Allen replied.

Harriet shot her husband a look, then smiled politely atAllen. “Wow, you work fast.”

“Not usually,” Allen assured her.

“Where did the two of you meet?”

“Stones Throw.”

“She works there,” Rose added.

“You should have brought her with you.”

“She's working tonight.”

“Oh, that's too bad,” Harriet said. “She seemed like a verynice girl, the few times she and Jim were here.” She got up out of her chair.“Let me check on dinner, and I'll be right back. I have so many questions toask you about writing.”

Allen sipped his drink. “Okay.”

“Don't bother him with a bunch of silly questions, Hare,”Rose said. “The man's on vacation. He doesn't want to talk about his work.”

“Oh, shush.” Harriet walked through the slider and closed itbehind her.

“The reason she wants to yap at you about writing is becauseshe wants to write a book.”

“Oh yeah? That's great,” said Allen.

“She can't write a book.”

“Hey, if I can do it, anyone can.”

“I doubt that.”

Allen checked the door to make sure Harriet wasn'treturning. “Rose, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Shoot.”

“Why did Tucker and Mya's relationship end?”

“Why, what did you hear?”

“What makes you think I heard something?'

“Because you said you had spoken with Mya's grandmother.”

“So?”

“Tucker's mentioned before that the old woman didn't likehim.”

Allen gave a non-committal shrug. “Why wouldn't she?”

“What did she say?”

“She said Tucker didn't treat Mya very well.”

“Yeah, well, I don't know, it's hard to say. I guess theydated for a while when they were kids, and then again right before he moved toBoston. According to Tuck, he wanted Mya to come with him. She wanted to stayhere. When he finally moved back, they rekindled their relationship. I only gothis side of the story so …”

Harriet opened the door and walked back outside. “Only gotwhose side of the story?” she asked. “A few more minutes on dinner.”

“I asked why Tucker and Mya ended their relationship,” saidAllen.

“He's nuts,” Harriet said.

“Hare!” said Rose.

“What? He is.” She sat down and pulled her legs up underher. “The last time they were over here, Mya got to talking with me in thekitchen. She told me she was thinking about breaking up with him. She said hehad anger and jealousy issues.”

“I'll admit, he's a little high-strung sometimes,” saidRose.

“I think it was a little more than just being high strung,”said Harriet. “Mya almost seemed to be scared of him.”

“Scared of him?” Rose repeated doubtingly. “He's a good kid.I've known his family for years.”

Allen decided not to tell Rose about Tucker's visit to hismotel room, and Mya's strange behavior since. It was obvious that Rose andTucker were friends, and Rose was eager to give Tucker the benefit of the doubtin any situation. He wondered if he should get Harriet alone and discuss itwith her.

“You're only sticking up for Tucker because he's a cop,”said Harriet.

Rose raised an eyebrow. “Well, yeah,” he replied. He pickedup his beer bottle and downed what was left. He held it out to Harriet. “Canyou get me another, Hare?”

Harriet sighed. “I guess.”

“Don't sound so excited.”

“Did that come off as excitement?” Harriet asked. “It wassupposed to sound like I thought you were too lazy to get your own beer.” Shewinked at Allen, and chuckled.

Allen laughed. “I guess she got ya there,” he said.

“She's gonna get a boot in the—”

“Watch it, pal,” Harriet warned, and snatched the empty outof her husband's hand.

“Love ya, babe,” Rose said playfully.

After Harriet stepped back inside, Rose turned to Allen.“Why all the questions about Tuck?” he asked.

“No reason,” said Allen.

“There's always a reason. This isn't the first time youasked about him.”

“Yeah, I know. I always get accused of asking too manyquestions. It's a hazard of being a writer. I like to know about people. I liketo know what makes them tick.”

Rose nodded. “Yeah, I get that. I figured you were asking somany questions because you were afraid Tuck was going to cause trouble betweenyou and Mya.”

“Do you think he will?”

“I don't think you have anything to worry about. Besides, ina few days, you'll be heading home, and everything will be back to normal.”

That was the second time Allen had heard his departuredescribed as everything getting back to normal.

The door slid open.

“Dinner's ready, boys!” Harriet sang out. “Come and get it!”

Rose shot out of his seat before Harriet finished hersentence. Allen wasn't too far behind him.

“I'm starving,” Rose said. “Never got lunch today.”

“You could stand to miss a few meals,” said Harriet.

“Wow,” Rose said. “You hear her?”

“I heard her,” Allen answered.

The table had been set with three place settings. The porkroast sat