Sherry’s eyes widened and I saw her jolt forward, forgetting that Greg was holding her back. “You weren’t married to him anymore. He never even talked about you.”
“Idiot. He told me all about you and the game he was playing on you. Have you checked your business account lately? Or do you really think your investments are doing that well, just because Kent said so?” The woman’s voice was ice-cold. Which made me shiver, her words taking on a seriousness that made me worry about Sherry, just a bit. Then she opened her mouth again.
“Kent wouldn’t do that. He loved me,” Sherry screeched. She turned her head and pleaded to Greg, “Make her go away. She shouldn’t be here.”
“Sherry, you need to go home. Let me figure this out with Doc Ames and I’ll call you when we’re done,” Greg said in his calming cop tone.
“You won’t tell her anything,” the other woman said. “This is my business, not hers.”
“Now Mrs. Paine, please calm down and come inside with me. We’ll talk about Mr. Paine’s wishes and see if we can work out some sort of compromise.” Doc Ames gently pulled the woman closer to the front door and away from Sherry.
“I know his wishes,” Sherry yelled. “You should be talking to me, not her.”
As Doc Ames and the woman, now identified as at least a sometime Mrs. Paine, disappeared into the home, Sherry actually snorted.
Greg released her arms and pointed to the pink Mercedes sports car sitting in the parking lot. “I’m serious, Sherry, go home.”
Sherry straightened her Chanel suit and glared at me. “I don’t know what you’re doing here. You always seem to be where you’re not wanted.”
“Sherry,” Greg warned.
She fluffed her long blond hair and actually purred at Greg. “I’ll be waiting for your call.” Then, as she passed by me, she whispered, “Don’t think you’re going to keep him. He’ll always come home.”
My eyes widened, and I glanced at Greg, who just shook his head.
He came and stood by me as we watched her drive away. “Typical Sherry, can’t just leave, has to leave a wake of destruction in her path. You okay?”
“I’m fine. She doesn’t get to me,” I lied. I still wanted to slap the chick silly, but at least Greg had stood up for me. Now I was more curious about the woman inside. I nodded to the building. “Did you know Kent was married?”
“Divorced. But I haven’t been able to reach her for questioning.” He looked thoughtfully at the door. “I guess this afternoon is as good of a time as any.”
“I’ll come in with you. After that, I could use a cold drink.” I held the door open for Greg, who stood watching me. “What, did you really think that I was going to go wait in the truck? Sherry might listen to you, but I’m my own woman.”
He chuckled. “Even when it gets you in trouble.” He didn’t even form it into a question, just motioned me into the cool building. “But you aren’t coming in the office. You don’t need to be part of the investigation.”
Shrugging, I pulled a book out of my purse. “I came prepared. I never know where our excursions will wind up. So I brought reading material.” I’d actually been excited to read this last long-awaited installment in a popular paranormal series. My pre-orders for the book had been unbelievable. I’d tried to get an advance reading copy, but my sales rep hadn’t been able to hold one for me.
Even with all that built-up excitement to start reading, it took a while for me to settle into one of the plush couches in the Bakerstown Funeral Home’s front parlor. Especially since the opulent waiting area was right outside Doc Ames’s office. And surprisingly, the walls were pretty thin. I could hear Greg’s voice as he asked the woman questions, but most of the words were garbled. I did find out her first name was Cheryl. The name rang a distant bell. Had she visited the shop? I made an effort to call customers by their first name if I saw a driver’s license or a credit card, just to add that personal touch. But I didn’t remember seeing the woman before. So that couldn’t be it.
Finally I gave up trying to decipher the noise into any human language. I opened the cover of the book, put my feet up, and within pages, was returned to the world the author had built for me in the last installment. It felt like coming home. Or revisiting a favorite travel destination.
I didn’t notice the woman standing in front of me until she spoke.
“That woman’s trouble. She thinks she can wrap a man around her finger and use him for anything she wants. For a while, she wanted Kent, and now it looks like she’s out to get your man back in her claws. Don’t let her kill him, too.” Tears flowed down Cheryl Paine’s cheeks as she stared at me.
“You think Sherry killed Kent?” Cheryl’s words had surprised me, not because I liked Sherry, but because I didn’t think she’d stoop that low just to control the male of the species. Besides, what would be in it for her?