Death Wore Brown Shorts (Happy Holloway Mystery Book 1) by Audrey Claire Page B

the house to hide the box in the kitchen. More likely, she would choose the living room off from the front door.
    Stacy’s china closet included mostly glass doors from top to bottom. A box couldn’t be hidden there. Unless Stacy stuffed the box behind a couch or under it, another room was a better choice.
    Annie crouched beside Stacy to help gather the bigger pieces of glass as Flynn suggested. She kept her tone casual and her gaze on her hands.
    “Stacy, something seems to be bothering you. I’d like to help if I can. You know I’m not going to spread your secrets around.”
    She braced herself, realizing Stacy had spread her secrets around—what few she knew. Yet, Stacy didn’t appear to be offended. Her bearing told Annie before she even spoke that they were going to circle the tree a few times.
    “Nothing bothering me,” she claimed, waving a hand in the air. “Just the usual, you know bills, life, et cetera.”
    Annie was as stubborn as they came, and she halfway forgot the fear she suffered when she ventured outside. If she didn’t ask any questions, she couldn’t learn the truth.
    “So that wasn’t you I saw following Robert the other night?”
    Stacy paled. “M-me? Um, uh, I… No. That is…”
    Annie watched her, hands fluttering about, first tugging on a lock of hair and then yanking it hard enough to sting. Sympathy washed over Annie at putting her friend in this position.
    “I’m sorry, Stacy. I shouldn’t have put it like that. Anyone would feel the same about Robert.” If Annie had seen him driving out at three in the morning, and she hadn’t been hiding in the trees, she would have followed, too.
    “About Robert?” Stacy repeated, still dumbfounded.
    “Yes, driving out at night, heading who knows where. I would have followed if I could have.”
    Stacy rocked so much on her heels she toppled over and landed on her butt. With Stacy’s love of historical romance, Annie couldn’t help thinking the woman had a case of the vapors just then. She almost wanted to tell her she would get the smelling salts.
    Does she have smelling salts? I bet she does.
    “Stacy, are you okay?” Annie touched the backs of her fingers to Stacy’s forehead. Stacy dragged the hand away and chuckled, a shaky sound at best.
    “I’m fine. Low blood sugar probably. I just need something to eat. Don’t concern yourself, Annie. You said you followed Robert the other night?”
    “No.” Annie narrowed her eyes at her. “I didn’t. You did though. Where did he end up at that time of night?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Annie held her breath for more, but Stacy went back to busying herself with cleaning up the glass. The longer she worked the more color entered her cheeks. She lowered her eyelids, so Annie couldn’t guess what she thought. Stacy had pulled herself together by the time Flynn returned to the room.
    Flynn held the broom out to Stacy with one hand. The other he kept behind his back. Annie figured out in an instant that he’d found the box. His expression, calm and cool, gave nothing away, but a tight nod of his head told her so.
    “Thanks, Flynn. I appreciate it.” Stacy swept up the last of the mess and straightened. When she rubbed an arm over her forehead to wipe away moisture, the bell rang. All three of them looked in its direction.
    Annie tensed.
    “Should I get that?” Flynn asked. He stood near the fireplace, leaning an elbow on the mantel.
    “No, stay put.” Stacy set aside the broom and dustpan full of glass and rushed from the room.
    Flynn covered the space between himself and Annie in a couple long strides. He produced the small box. “Stuff this in that big bag of everything you have. Quick.”
    Her eyes widened. “You’re not going to tell her?”
    “It has nothing to do with her if Evie had to sneak it into the house. Put it away. We can decide later what to do with it.”
    Annie hesitated, but at the sound of voices in the hall, she made a snap decision. Her purse held the box