Kari Lee Townsend - Sunny Meadows 04 - Perish in the Palm by Kari Lee Townsend Page B

bake a theme cake for the party, but they haven’t even asked for my input on the theme. And they actually talked your DJ guy into controlling the music. They really don’t know me at all.” She sighed.
    “Well, they are both stuck here for the time being, so it makes sense. I mean, who else would they have asked?”
    “You mean who else would be willing to come to Divinity during a murder investigation. You’re right, of course, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. The men are smart. They headed straight to the lake to fish, leaving me to fend for myself. I called Joanne and Zoe but they weren’t answering their phones, which is strange because they always answer my calls.” She stared off thoughtfully. “Must be they’re both busy as well, though what they’re doing this early is beyond me.”
    They’re probably getting ready for our secret mission , I wanted to say, but another thought came to me. “So that’s the reason you asked me to meet you for breakfast. I was the only one left who wasn’t busy.”
    “Nonsense.” She shook her head disapprovingly. “You always think the worst of me, Sylvia. I know you. You’re always trying to solve some sort of mystery. I didn’t want to bother you.”
    “Well, I’m not trying to solve a mystery this time,” I said with firm resolve, mostly to convince myself. “I’m trying to keep my nose out of this investigation.”
    “Why? Because it’s my neck on the line this time?” She sat back and crossed her arms with a shrewd expression on her face, but the hurt in her voice was too obvious to miss. “Must be I’m not worthy of your time or skills.”
    “Now who’s the one thinking the worst?” I pointed out. “It was hard enough to remain objective when Mitch and Granny were suspects, but you’re my mother.” I looked deep into her eyes and tried to express what I never seemed to be able to say. “It would kill me if anything happened to you.”
    “Me too.” She spoke with a quiet voice as her walls came down for a second and I saw a flash of genuine worry, but then she opened her purse and pulled out some cash and set the money on the bill. “Look at the time. I have a million errands to run, and I’m sure you must have something to do?”
    I glanced at my watch and sucked in air through my teeth. “Oh, shoot, I’m late. Jo and Zoe are going to kill me.”
    “Joanne and Zoe?” My mother’s ears perked up, and her face puckered in confusion. “I thought you didn’t know what they were up to?”
    “Oh,” I responded, realizing what I’d just said. “I forgot. We’re just making plans for Jo’s baby shower, that’s all.” I couldn’t very well tell my mother the three of us were going to snoop around the inn and try to uncover the meaning of Peirce’s reading. She would be the first person to tell on us. I hadn’t thought her feelings might be hurt in not being included in planning a baby shower, which honestly, we hadn’t even talked about yet. But I could tell from the expression on her face that she was indeed disappointed.
    “Oh, well, if that’s all, then I’ll let you get to it.” She stood in one swift motion. “Say hi to the girls for me.”
    “Mother, I—”
    “You’re busy.” She cut me off. “I get it. No one needs me in the way these days. Like I said, I have a million things of my own to do anyway. We’ll talk later, darling.” She turned and left before I could say anything more and headed across the street to the library, probably to the legal section to brush up on cases similar to her own.
    I picked up my fringed knapsack and left the café, deciding to find a way to make it up to her later. Right now I was late. Starting my bug, I had just pulled away from the curb when a flash of white caught my eye. I glanced at the door and did a double take as an unlikely trio entered the café together.
    What on earth was the IRS man still doing in town and why wasn’t Brice Benedict in jail and who was