Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
“ O h no,” I groan hard as food and dishes go flying right here at the Anne of Green Gables’ picnic. “Quick”—I backtrack to Bess and Nettie—“Merritt’s here,” I hiss just above a whisper. “And if you don’t do something, she’s going to scar Anne and all of Green Gables as the most haunted locale on the planet.”
“We’re on it,” Nettie shouts as she grabs ahold of Bess and trots toward the melee. And in two seconds flat, it looks as if Nettie is the one ravaging the buffet and rattling dishes.
I wince a little at the sight because it does seem she’s joining in on the shenanigans. But the food is so delicious, I can’t blame her.
I turn back to Neelie. “Now what were you going to say?”
“Let’s find something a little more”—she grimaces at the melee breaking out as the staff tries to talk Nettie and Bess into slowing down—“quiet, if that exists.”
Miraculously, we do find a corner where the laughter and chatter, and screams, do fade into the background, on a heart-shaped bench right below a crimson oak tree.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask as we settle in.
Neelie hesitates for a moment as her fingers play with the fringe of her blinged-out hat.
“First and foremost”—she starts with her voice sharp—“I want to apologize for Stanton’s behavior last night. ”
“Oh, Neelie, don’t do that,” I say with a laugh. “If you start up with that now, you won’t have enough breath in your lungs to make it to fifty.”
Although let’s face it, fifty is more or less a fantasy age for her at this point. She must be close to twenty.
She gives an indifferent shrug. “I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway, I know we’ve had our differences. You think I’m this vapid, gold-digging?—”
“—menace to society?” I tease.
Neelie gives a little laugh. “Yeah, that. But you don’t know the half of it.” She sighs hard as she glares over at the chaos bubbling around the buffet.
Merritt in all her ghostly glory is floating to and fro, scooping up whatever she can grab and stuffing it in her face. It must be so freeing not to count your calories that way.
What am I saying? I haven’t counted calories in a year, and I count my lucky stars that I never will again.
“I’ll admit,” Neelie begins. “Stanton isn’t exactly someone who I thought I’d see myself with. I mean, he’s old.” She makes a face. I don’t say a word because we’re the exact same age. “But he’s mature, you know?”
“Questionably mature,” I add.
“And he’s worldly and he’s rich ,” she goes on.
At least she knows how to get to the point.
“And he picked me, out of all of the women he could have had.”
“ Eh .” I give a little shrug. “You have boobs, you qualify. I hate to break it to you, but Stanton isn’t too picky. I learned that the day I caught him with a parade of naked women in our bedroom. There were women of every age, stage, and size. And do you know what else I found out much later?” She shakes her head with her eyes wide and as blue as the sky. “That men who don’t care about what’s on the inside are only after one thing. Stanton is addicted to feeding his ego in every form possible. You’re young and beautiful. That bodes well for his ego.”
She blows out another breath. “Hattie says he’s using me as arm candy. ”
“I really like Hattie,.” I bite down on my lip. “What does she think about your relationship?”
“That I should dump him and go for someone I’m actually in love with. But I’m not in love with anyone yet. And Stanton gives me something to do.”
I cringe at the thought.
“ Other things, too,” she says, swatting my knee. “You know, like shopping. And not just for myself. I bought all of your children’s Christmas presents last year, and I’m already halfway done shopping for this year, too. I buy their birthday gifts, and I even buy gifts for Stanton’s mother—although we haven’t actually met yet.”
“You bought those gifts?” I muse. I distinctly remember Abbey showing me some ritzy designer sweater that was drop-dead gorgeous. I at least thought that Stanton asked a sales assistant for help. But come to think of it, it makes more sense that he’s sleeping with that sales assistant.
“You did a great job,” I tell her. “I’d ask you to throw one in for me this year, but Neelie”—I take up her hands and marvel at how frozen her fingers are, they are as cold as ice—“you should dump Stanton long before Christmas gets here. He’s not the one for you. And he’s not even someone you should be wasting any time with. I know you said there wasn’t anyone you were currently interested in, but Stanton is the distraction you don’t need right now in your life. Drop him like a bad habit and get on with your future. Lose yourself in your career. What is it that you do again?”
She frowns at the grass. “I was working a secretarial job for the mayor.”
“That’s wonderful! Brambleberry Bay is the most patriotic place on the planet. The mayor’s office is a perfect place to be.”
“Not so much.” Her lips purse as if she were about to be sick. “I was sleeping with the mayor—and well, his wife wasn’t all that thrilled.”
I suck in a quick breath. “So that’s a no-go. And speaking of which, so are married men. The last thing you need to become is a homewrecker. And even if you’ve already checked off that box once, please don’t do it again. Your reputation is important. You might be someone’s mother someday, you might have a family, and/or a wonderful, respectful career. All of these things are within reach for you right now. But Stanton is standing in your way.”
Her lips invert. “I always did want a big family. I love my sisters and my brother. I have the very best parents.” She wipes a single tear from her cheek. “None of them are all that thrilled with the direction I’ve taken in my life.”
“But you can fix it,” I say insistently. I think I’m finally getting through to her. I think Neelie is on the verge of a very big change in her life.
She nods. “I think I can fix this. In fact, I think I?—”
“Time to make flower garlands for our hair,” one of the employees running the excursion shouts near a table laden with fresh-cut flowers where several women are already wearing colorful wreaths on their heads.
Neelie gasps. “I want a flower garland for my hair!” She jumps up and trots off, and that’s the end of that.
Hopefully, she’s able to retain the crux of our conversation.
And if not, the kids are in for some spectacular Christmas gifts this year. I really should get myself on that list, too.
I glance over at the buffet where Bess and Nettie look as if they’re currently being detained by security, but I’m not too worried. Merritt is lying in the grass, patting her belly as stars spark around her glowing body giving her an electrocuted appeal. It looks as if the terror is over—at least for now.
I check my watch. It’s time for our next excursion.
And you can bet your red braids I’ll be bringing Merritt Garrett along.
I may have spoken to her friends, but nobody knows Merritt like she knows herself. And I’m more than sure, she knew her killer, too.