I mean, sure, some people just didn’t eat beef, or even liked veggie burgers, but most of those fast-food receipts had been for the standard issue fast food joints—all burgers, fries, and sometimes fried chicken, light on the veggies unless it was a wilted, weirdly warm salad with wet tomatoes and suspiciously tough carrot shavings.The back of the bit of paper had a phone number in what looked like eyeliner pencil, most of it smudged but the area code and the last two digits were clear and sharp.I stared at the little pile of paper bits and the mostly used up tube of cat lotion, hesitant to sweep it into the trash.Ben’s office door opened and I made my decision.
“Hey, I looked up that lotion and it looks like that ritzy pet place in Malm’s Corner carries it.Want me to pick some up for you later?”
“Oh.Um.No...I can get it,” I said, shrugging.The papers in my pocket crinkled but, after a silent, curious gaze, Ben just shrugged back and returned to his office.
Chapter 5
For the rest of theday, things were fine.
Just fine.
Between Ben holed up in his office and the dogs refusing to acknowledge my desire to hide in my bed, I had to go on like it was business as usual.Walking the pups, going to the grocery store, letting Charlemagne out to slowly explore the house “just for now”...It was, on the surface, normal.Boring even.But that was it, the surface.Under the veneer of chores and daily routine, everything was unsettled and raw.I still couldn’t forget Tubbs’ blank, empty stare or the way he lay so still.The smell of alcohol and coppery blood a sense memory I could’ve gone eternity without.
Word had gotten out that Tubbs had died and, while that might have just been a “oh how sad” moment for a lot of people (and, let’s be frank, awho?meh.moment for most others), someone had mentioned I’d been the one to find him, and that had renewed some negative attention in town.I couldn’t ignore the curious, wary looks some people gave me when I took Muffin for a walk, or when I went to get one of those really good lobster rolls from Denny’s Seafood, Salads, And Milkshakes.I was tempted by their rum raisin milkshake but discretion being the better part of valor decided not to try it while also having a seafood-based sandwich.My week was already upsetting enough without finding out what that combo would do to my stomach.
The regatta did start, albeit a bit late, with an opening ceremony on Friday morning that attracted most of the town, providing what I hoped as a distraction for any bored gossips who might want to make a quick buck with another pap shot of me around town.With the exception of Cove Groceries and Bull’s China Shop, the shops closed for all of part of the day while residents crowded the beach and Bluff Road to watch the seven remaining yachts do a sort of exhibition round, sailing through the cove around some specially placed buoys before anchoring in the deep water past the New Yacht Club.Tubbs’ boat had been towed over to an old dock near the lighthouse, leaving a gap-toothed space in the marina’s line up.Already the tabloids had picked up on thegruesome discovery strikes small Maine town, Hollywoodangle.
Again.
I stayed indoors, texting Max.
Max:Seriously, what the hell is going on in that town?
Me:No freaking idea.I don’t guess you suddenly need a new PA?You know I know the drill.
I wasn’t really kidding, either.It had been something I’d floated before—I was obviously never going to hit the big time, or even the medium-time, with my career.It was fading faster every day that I didn’t take another too young for me part or exploit the Witte case like Rory Flick, my agent, kept pushing for me to do.
Max:Babes.Even if I wanted to, Kathleen would kill me if I fired Jake to hire you on.
Ugh.Jake.Twit.
Max could read my mind.
Max:Don’t start, D.
I sent a selfie of my scrunched-up expression, tongue sticking out.
