A Roux of Revenge

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Book: Read A Roux of Revenge for Free Online
Authors: Connie Archer
she’d go, Miriam. But if she’s in town, I’ll find her. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
    Lucky hung up. She was wearing only a flimsy nightie, and the nights were getting progressively chillier. She slipped on a pair of jeans, tucking the nightgown inside the waistband, and slipped on her sneakers. Thenshe pulled a heavy cable-knit sweater over her head. Grabbing her keys and purse, she touched the nose of her folk art kitchen witch for luck, then hurried out of the apartment and down the stairs. Her car was an older subcompact that had been a gift from Elizabeth Dove, the Mayor of Snowflake and her parents’ oldest friend. The apartment Lucky rented was in a building that also belonged to Elizabeth.Lucky felt incredibly grateful to Elizabeth every time she turned her key in the lock of the car or the apartment. Returning to Snowflake would have been so much harder without Elizabeth’s generosity.
    Lucky revved the engine and started a sweep of the town. Snowflake was a small village. She could cruise its perimeter and then go up and down the interior streets, which mostly ran in a grid.Miriam’s house was just outside of the town center, and Janie always drove to work. If Janie were anywhere in town, her car should be easy to find.
    Lucky shivered and flicked on the car’s heater, hoping it wouldn’t take long to warm up. She circled the town slowly. No lights were on in any of the houses or buildings, and a slight dusting of frost covered the windshields of cars parked on thestreet. Most houses in town had garages, but since the late October weather had been so mild, there was no need as yet to shelter a car. By the time she completed a circuit of the town, the inside of her car was toasty. She drove slowly, hoping to spot Janie’s car as she passed. As a ploy to stay awake, she decided to count the pumpkins that sat on doorsteps. She turned the corner on Hampstead,Elias’s street.
    If Janie wasn’t at Meg’s house, she could be staying with Rosemary, her other close girlfriend. Rosemary worked at the Clinic, so Elias would probably have her home number, but that would involve calling him at—she checked the clock in the car—three thirty now. She approached the big white Victorian that Elias had bought and spent several years renovating. No lights shone atany of the windows. She really didn’t want to wake him. His days were long and busy, and he needed his sleep as much as she did. Besides, she was feeling a nagging sense of anxiety over his somewhat distant behavior, especially after meeting Paula, the new doctor. If she woke him in the middle of the night, it might seem as if she were checking up on him.
    She pushed the thought out of hermind. It wouldn’t do to call Elias at this hour no matter what the reason, and more than likely, he’d have no idea where Janie was anyway. He might not have Rosemary’s phone number handy and would have to retrieve it from the Clinic. Lucky slowed as she passed the entrance to his driveway. A small dark car was parked there. It wasn’t Elias’s—his was a silver sedan. She hit the brakes and peered out,trying to get a better look at the license plate. It was too dark to make it out, but it wasn’t a Vermont plate. Was someone visiting him?
    Again, thoughts of the glamorous woman she met at the Clinic flooded her mind. And a fresh wave of confusion tinged with jealousy arose. What was going on? Was Paula staying with him? Was there a real basis for her anxiety? Was she a fool to have believedher relationship with Elias was on solid ground? In her imagination she pictured herself banging on his door, waking him up, using Janie’s disappearance as an excuse to find out exactly who was staying with him. Was it jealousy? As much as she hated to admit the possibility, yes, she was jealous, and she felt threatened. Then, remembering Paula’s dark, feline smile, she was feeling very threatened.

Chapter 10

    S HE WILLED HERSELF to push her angry thoughts

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