was beginning to build in
the air. “And it might be safer in there with other people. Even with a killer
around.”
“True, but I don’t think I’d risk putting the really
interesting things on canvas and I need more images for my shirts.”
At the crack of laughter, Juliet looked over her companion
who almost never laughed and whose tone was nearly always one of underemphasis . She realized then that in her discomfort
with his gaze that she had been staring at Carrie Simmons who was driving by in
her red convertible, wearing a caftan of brightest orange with an enormous
purple hat. Riding beside her with an arm over the seat and almost around her
shoulders was a laughing Jake Holmes. Maybe he was catching a ride with her
because his ankle was too sore to drive. But maybe not.
“I see what you mean.”
“Have a heart! I didn’t mean Carrie. I’m not that catty. Out loud.” Though she was catty enough to wonder about that
arm and why they were laughing.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it. You should be safe enough as
long as you’re alone. Just keep an eye out. If you’ve been discreet there is no
reason why the killer would be interested in you, but I am a great believer in
that whole ounce of prevention thing.”
“Me too.” Though she hadn’t really
been all that discreet with some of her neighbors, had she? “You can check up
on me when you leave. You’re off to the Wood now?”
“Yeah. I want a word with Mickey
Shaw too, and then I’d better speak to Raphael James before I leave.”
“Okay. But it’s yoga day,” she warned.
“Uh-huh. What does that mean exactly?”
“It means Mickey is doing yoga.”
“And he’ll be bothered if I interrupt?” Garret guessed.
“No. Mickey won’t be bothered, but you might.”
“Why?” Garret began to sound wary and Juliet chuckled.
“Because Mickey does yoga in the nude.”
“Good God.”
“It was a little disconcerting the first time I saw him. It
was my second day in the Wood and it had me really wondering about what I had
gotten myself into. Believe me, you don’t want to be
standing behind him when he does sun salutations.”
“No kidding. When will he be done?”
“Give him to eleven and you should be safe.”
Garret looked at his watch.
“I think I’ll go see Raphael first.” He paused. “I don’t
suppose you’d be ready for a lunch break around eleven forty-five?”
“All things are possible with faith.”
“Then I’ll hope to see you then. Uh—your
place or mine?”
Juliet looked down at her paint-stained jeans. Was this a
date, or a chance to compare notes after he’d talked to witnesses? Did it
matter?
“I guess it had better be mine. I’m afraid it’s tuna again,
but I got some fresh rolls at the bakery.”
“Sounds good.”
Juliet waved the sheriff goodbye and then finished her
drawing. She glanced at the watch she kept buckled to her easel and decided she
could paint better back at the studio where the light was superior. That would
give her more time to clean up for lunch. It also seemed like a good time to
stop by the Holmeses ’ bungalow and see how Jillian
was feeling. Maybe she was under the weather or suffering from seasonal allergies.
But maybe it wasn’t a virus bugging her so much as a
female fungus in a purple hat that had attached itself to her husband.
Could that be what made Jake Holmes so angry at Harvey? Had
Harvey intimated to Jillian that Jake was having an affair? Husbands really
didn’t like getting caught. They hated that about as much as wives disliked
having someone tell them about their spouse’s affairs.
Chapter 11
Juliet decided that climbing up and down mountains with an
easel was a pain, but it was doing wonders for her gluteus maximi and hamstrings.
The door to the Holmeses ’ bungalow
was open. Juliet leaned her easel against the wall and called, “Jillian! Are
you working? It’s Juliet Henry. Can I come in?”
There was no answer. Fearing she might
the air. “And it might be safer in there with other people. Even with a killer
around.”
“True, but I don’t think I’d risk putting the really
interesting things on canvas and I need more images for my shirts.”
At the crack of laughter, Juliet looked over her companion
who almost never laughed and whose tone was nearly always one of underemphasis . She realized then that in her discomfort
with his gaze that she had been staring at Carrie Simmons who was driving by in
her red convertible, wearing a caftan of brightest orange with an enormous
purple hat. Riding beside her with an arm over the seat and almost around her
shoulders was a laughing Jake Holmes. Maybe he was catching a ride with her
because his ankle was too sore to drive. But maybe not.
“I see what you mean.”
“Have a heart! I didn’t mean Carrie. I’m not that catty. Out loud.” Though she was catty enough to wonder about that
arm and why they were laughing.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it. You should be safe enough as
long as you’re alone. Just keep an eye out. If you’ve been discreet there is no
reason why the killer would be interested in you, but I am a great believer in
that whole ounce of prevention thing.”
“Me too.” Though she hadn’t really
been all that discreet with some of her neighbors, had she? “You can check up
on me when you leave. You’re off to the Wood now?”
“Yeah. I want a word with Mickey
Shaw too, and then I’d better speak to Raphael James before I leave.”
“Okay. But it’s yoga day,” she warned.
“Uh-huh. What does that mean exactly?”
“It means Mickey is doing yoga.”
“And he’ll be bothered if I interrupt?” Garret guessed.
“No. Mickey won’t be bothered, but you might.”
“Why?” Garret began to sound wary and Juliet chuckled.
“Because Mickey does yoga in the nude.”
“Good God.”
“It was a little disconcerting the first time I saw him. It
was my second day in the Wood and it had me really wondering about what I had
gotten myself into. Believe me, you don’t want to be
standing behind him when he does sun salutations.”
“No kidding. When will he be done?”
“Give him to eleven and you should be safe.”
Garret looked at his watch.
“I think I’ll go see Raphael first.” He paused. “I don’t
suppose you’d be ready for a lunch break around eleven forty-five?”
“All things are possible with faith.”
“Then I’ll hope to see you then. Uh—your
place or mine?”
Juliet looked down at her paint-stained jeans. Was this a
date, or a chance to compare notes after he’d talked to witnesses? Did it
matter?
“I guess it had better be mine. I’m afraid it’s tuna again,
but I got some fresh rolls at the bakery.”
“Sounds good.”
Juliet waved the sheriff goodbye and then finished her
drawing. She glanced at the watch she kept buckled to her easel and decided she
could paint better back at the studio where the light was superior. That would
give her more time to clean up for lunch. It also seemed like a good time to
stop by the Holmeses ’ bungalow and see how Jillian
was feeling. Maybe she was under the weather or suffering from seasonal allergies.
But maybe it wasn’t a virus bugging her so much as a
female fungus in a purple hat that had attached itself to her husband.
Could that be what made Jake Holmes so angry at Harvey? Had
Harvey intimated to Jillian that Jake was having an affair? Husbands really
didn’t like getting caught. They hated that about as much as wives disliked
having someone tell them about their spouse’s affairs.
Chapter 11
Juliet decided that climbing up and down mountains with an
easel was a pain, but it was doing wonders for her gluteus maximi and hamstrings.
The door to the Holmeses ’ bungalow
was open. Juliet leaned her easel against the wall and called, “Jillian! Are
you working? It’s Juliet Henry. Can I come in?”
There was no answer. Fearing she might
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