“If being pulled over two hours after arriving is a pleasant surprise…”
Mia’s jaw drops. “Tell me you’re joking.”
“If only.” I pull out an old set of teacups and inspect them.They’re chipped and faded. Definitely trash pile material. “Would you care to guesswhopulled me over?”
There’s a short pause, and Mia’s nose scrunches like she’s reaching back into the deep recesses of her brain. “What was that old guy’s name? Officer Francis?”
“He’s retired, Mia. Possibly dead.”
“Right. I forget how long it’s been.”
“I did too until I got pulled over by—get this—Officer Beau Palmer.”
Mia doesn’t respond. In fact, she’s not even looking at me.
“Mia?”
Her gaze flicks back to me. “Sorry. Just pulling up flights. I’m coming ASAP. This is a code red situation.”
I laugh. Mia and her fiancé, Austin, are up to their ears in legal issues from his recent break with his music label. Luckily, the massive fanbase desperate for their music can help dry their tears at night. “You can’t come out here right now, Mia. Besides, I don’t need you to. I mean, yes, it’d be nice to have backup sometimes, but I can handle it.”
“What did he pull you over for? Some trumped-up offense, I’m guessing.”
“Driving erratically.”
She scoffs, only to stop suddenly. “Were you?”
“No way. I’d like to seehimdrive that crazy thing. It’s like being on Mario Kart. Grams had the mechanic here add some enhancements.”
“This is a new cart, right?”
“Nope.”
She stares at me, incredulous. “The same one from whenwelived there?”
“Correct.”
“Oh my gosh,” she whispers. “She’s crazy.”
“You have no idea. Her latest plan is a hunger strike until they allow booze at the senior center.”
Mia busts up laughing. “I love her so much!”
“It’s not funny,” I say. But it is, a little.
“Okay.” She clears her throat and gets serious, sitting taller.
“Anyway,” I continue, “that’s what I’m dealing with. On top of trying to sort through all this…nonsense.” I pick up the phone and sweep it around the attic to show her.
“Yikes. So, did you get a citation?”
“No.” I almost wish I had just because it’d be so in line with my experience with the Palmers. Not that I need proof they’re the worst. I have plenty of that. But shiny, new proof is always nice. “Beau was supposedly just worried for my safety.”
She snorts. “Right…so, Beau Palmer’s a cop, huh? Wouldn’t have figured that one. He and that Miller kid used to get up to all kinds of mischief. What does he look like now? Gangly? Warts all over his face with hair growing out?” She shuts her eyes. “I’m envisioning the old beggar woman from the cartoonSnow White.”
“Ugh. I wish. He’s annoyingly beautiful.” I chuck a broken picture frame into the trash box. “He’s probably in one of those gross calendars that feature hot cops in booty shorts.”
Mia cringes. “Is he really that attractive?”
