Willa frowned. “I don’t really use the word forthcoming.”
Harper shot her niece a look. “You know what I mean. Once you have the email, send it to me and your mom and I will put a letter together. Okay?”
Willa nodded. “I can do that.” She started tapping away at her phone screen.
“Thanks,” Harper said. She was oddly excited about talking to Buck. Even if he was a bank robber. Shar had said one of the security guards had gotten shot, but she hadn’t said the man had died. Or that Buck had been the one who’d done the shooting.
More than anything, Harper wanted to know the whole story. If working with celebrities had taught her anything, it was how easily the truth could be slanted. The old saying that there were two sides to a story wasn’t really true. There were actually three, the third one being the truth.
She could probably research the crime, see what records or reports she could find, but that still wouldn’t give her Buck’s side of things.
When Willa finished tapping, she got up and came into the kitchen. “What’s for breakfast?”
“Pancakes,” Harper answered.
“With fresh strawberries,” Frankie answered as she got up from her spot at the counter. “Which I need to get cleaning and slicing.”
“Can I have chocolate chips in mine?” Willa asked. “Since we’re going all out.”
Harper smiled. “Sorry, kiddo. There are no chocolate chips in this house.”
“Seriously? I know you like to eat clean and all that but no chocolate chips is just unnatural.”
Amused, Harper just shook her head. “Nope. Sorry. Joyce probably has some. You could always run next door and ask her.”
Willa got a curious smile. “Over to Mitch Ripley’s house.”
“That would be the one,” Harper said. “But he’s probably working, so if you go over there, be quick and quiet.”
“What your aunt said,” Frankie added.
“Maybe I should just text Joyce,” Harper said. “See if she has chocolate chips to begin with. Come here, Willa. Stir this all together while I text her.”
Willa did as Harper asked, coming behind the counter to work on the batter.
Harper sent Joyce a message.Morning! Any chance we could borrow a small amount of chocolate chips? Making pancakes and Willa wants some.
The reply followed quickly.I do have some. Milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or white chocolate? I can bring them right over.
Harper smiled. “Willa, milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or white chocolate?”
Willa blinked. “I didn’t realize there would be a choice, but then Joyce is the OG of baking. I think I’m going to get crazy and say white chocolate. That might be good with strawberries.”
Harper sent the answer back.White chocolate just for something different.
Be there in a jiff, Joyce responded.
“She’s on her way.”
Sure enough, not even five minutes later, the bell rang, announcing Joyce at the front door.
“I’ll get it,” Willa said. She ran down the steps, coming back up with Joyce.
She gave them a bright smile. “Hello, you gorgeous women. Pancakes, is it? How fun. I brought a half-cup of each kind, just in case.”
Willa was all smiles. “Joyce, I love you and I’m not even kidding. You’re the best.”
Joyce handed over the baggies of chocolate chips. “Well, that’s my day made.”
