Bodies & Buried Secrets: A Rosewood Place Mystery (Rosewood Place Mysteries Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

help him with this,” Bessie added, smiling at Suzy, whose friendly demeanor was quickly slipping.
    “Now, you listen here, Annie Purdy--”
    “Actually, it’s Annie Richards now. I’m sure you heard I got married and moved to New York City some time ago.” Annie smiled politely and moved to the jug of sun tea sitting on the counter. She poured some into a paper cup that her mother had thoughtfully brought from her old house, and took a small sip. With no ice, it was awful, but she wouldn’t dare tell her mother that.
    “Oh, I heard all about your marriage,” Suzy replied. “I also heard he died and left you penniless. Some prince charming, huh?” Suzy’s mean streak was still a country-mile-wide, and it was practically glistening as she spoke. “Face it, hon, you had to move back here because that sorry husband of yours up and died and left you in a pickle, but I can get you right out of it.”
    The sound of footsteps on the wooden floor behind Annie made her jump. She’d forgotten all about Rory for a moment, but as he entered the kitchen, he made his presence fully known. “Is there a problem here, Annie?” His voice boomed, and Annie jumped slightly.
    Suzy eyed Rory languidly, looking him up and down like a tasty cake she wanted to devour. “Well, well, well...look what the cat dragged in!” She grinned and pushed her blonde locks back off her face. “You here to play knight in shining armor to your former flame?” Suzy had known that Annie and Rory were close in high school, and she’d taken no small amount of pleasure when they’d broken up. She grinned at Rory like a cat that had just spotted a juicy mouse and who couldn’t decide whether or eat it or play with it first.
    “I’m here as her contractor, Suzy, what’s your excuse?” Rory’s tone was short and sharp.
    “She came to try and buy the house,” Annie explained.
    “She came to start trouble,” Rory countered. “I don’t know what you’re playing at, Suzy, but you’d better get on out of here if you know what’s good for you.” Rory stopped short of actually threatening the woman, but the tone of his voice clearly showed he meant business.
    Suzy’s grin disappeared. “I’ll tell my client that you declined his offer,” she said to Annie. “You be careful letting this ex-con work on your house. You know he’s a vicious killer,” she added, grabbing her purse and heading back out the way she’d come in. Just before she stepped out the back door, Suzy spun on her heels and seethed, “You will be sorry that you didn’t just take my offer, Annie. You mark my words, you will be sorry.”
    Silence reigned for a few moments after Suzy’s heels had beaten a track back to her car, and the sound of her car engine seemed to fill the room as the only sound for miles.
    Annie was stunned by Suzy’s accusation. She turned to Rory. “What the heck did she mean by that? I thought you went to prison for hurting someone, not killing them,” she demanded.
    Rory’s mouth was a tight, thin line. “She’s a liar, that’s what she meant by that.” He took a deep breath, then walked over to the sink and washed his hands.
    Annie wasn’t letting him off with that answer. “What were you in prison for, exactly?”
    Bessie poured him a glass of tea and handed it to him. He thanked her and took a sip before responding. “I got drunk and got in a fight with a guy,” he began. “During the fight, I hit him pretty hard with a chair, and he got hurt pretty badly. He almost died, but then he got better. So I went to jail for assault and grievous bodily harm, because the chair was counted as a weapon. Nevermind he’d just busted a pool cue upside my head,” he added, drinking more tea to wash down the words.
    “Well, what were you fighting about?” Annie knew that she should probably just be satisfied with his answer, but she was still mad about having to deal with Suzy and even madder that it had been Rory who had finally made the