Later that evening, I stood on my back porch, sipping on my second glass of wine. The sun was setting and dinner was wrapped up. Hank was stuck in Forked River Creek, still tying up loose ends, whatever those were at this point. He’d returned his rental car and would be taking a cab here as soon as he could. Nothing was going as I’d planned, but I refused to be in a bad mood.
“Hey, darling,” Shirley called out, from her back door. “Want some company?”
I realized how tight my nerves were. I’d been standing here, stiff as a board, on guard. “Waiting for Hank,” I said with a tense smile. “Should be here any second.”
“Oh, okay then, good.” She waved and blew me a kiss. “Well, good night.” She slid her patio door shut and for a few seconds, I watched her silhouette go from room to room, as s
