SCREWED DOWN MURDER (Mrs. Fix It Mysteries Book 2) by Belle Knudson Page B

leaving. You have a good rest of the day.”
    He smiled as if knowing that he’d gotten her thinking about the old days. Those days were gone. Simpler times, for sure. She didn’t think about them very often. She had too much going on in the present.
    Kate pondered what she was going to do next. While she was here, she could return the book on home repair to the library. It had served her well and she’d learned a lot. Then Scott text her.
    I have a job for you to do, but not until tomorrow.
    Okay.
    Can you come by in the morning?
    Yes, can I have a clue?
    Bring wooden boards.
    Okay.
    That didn’t narrow it down, but she’d bring wooden boards.
    ***
    The next day, Kate appeared at Scott’s house first thing in the morning. He smiled when he opened the door. “You are a lovely sight first thing in the morning.”
    “What’s broken?”
    “My garbage disposer. I don’t know how old it is, so if I need a new one, go ahead.”
    She walked into the kitchen then went right to the sink. She smelled coffee. She’d had her first cup at home, but her body was calling for the second cup. Her mouth watered as she examined his disposal. “The house isn’t that old. I can’t imagine you need a new one.”
    She eyed the pot.
    “Would you like a cup of coffee?” he said.
    She was about to say she’d kill for a cup of coffee, but she didn’t think that was appropriate on any level. “Yes, I’d love a cup of coffee.”
    “You still take it black?”
    “Yes.” She turned on the disposal and it made a dying cat noise. “That doesn’t sound good. You don’t have anything stuck in it?”
    “Not that I know of.”
    He set a cup of coffee on the counter and she immediately reached for it. “I’m going to take it off to look at it. Do you need to get to work?”
    “Not yet.”
    He poured himself another cup, then leaned against the counter next to where she was working.
    “Let me get some tools.”
    She returned. Scott hadn’t moved. She removed the disposal, changed a few parts then put it back on. It worked.
    “You’re a genius,” he said.
    “Not really.” She wrote up her bill then handed it to him.
    He wrote her a check.
    “What else do you have going on today?” he said.
    “I’m going to check in with Jessica since I’m here and see if I can start her jobs. See if she has any priorities.”
    “Well, then enjoy your day.”
    “Go catch some bad guys,” she said as she walked out of his house.
    “Not so many in Rock Ridge, but I’m not complaining.”
    Kate didn’t bother moving her truck since she’d parked it on the street.
    She walked over to Jessica’s house in the humidity, wishing for some relief from it. She’d bet she could get her truck’s air conditioning looked at soon. Two newspapers were on the doorstep. Kate picked them up then rang the doorbell.
    Dean had never gotten in touch. Had the two gone away together and were out of cell phone range? No one answered as Kate stood in the heat.
    When was Jessica going to let her start? Where was the woman who had so desperately needed to see her yesterday? The situation seemed odd to Kate. By now, Jessica must have remembered that she’d called Kate.
    Kate punched the digits for Jessica’s phone. She once again heard it ring inside. Should she try to get in? Could Jessica have fallen? Maybe she was injured.
    Kate stormed back over to Scott’s house. He was just leaving for work.
    “I’m concerned. Jessica didn’t pick up her paper this morning. Her cell is still in her house. What if something happened to her?”
    “I’ll have patrol do a well-being check this morning.”
    “I want to see if I can get in,” Kate said.
    She had a bad feeling about all of this. Jessica had never been this flighty. Kate had always found the woman to be responsible. Not that she owed Kate any explanations.
    “Don’t break in, Kate. I’ll call dispatch now.” He did then hung up. “They are sending a car over right now.”
    “I’ll wait then,”