Page 30 of Mother-Daughter Murder Night

Beth started shot-putting cheese sticks into the fridge. Lana cautiously stepped past her to the table.

“And what the hell are you wearing?”

Lana turned and threw back her shoulders. “This, my dear, is Armani.”

Beth snorted. “You had a board meeting?”

“Of course not. I was at lunch.”

“With a lawyer?”

“No. Someone better. Jack’s employer. Paul Hanley.”

Beth said nothing.

“And I talked with the detectives. The Kayak Shack is reopening this Sunday. I’ve arranged for Jack to have a police escort that day, to keep her safe. The female detective. Ramirez. It’ll give Jack a chance to prove she wasn’t involved.”

It was at this moment Beth snapped.

She stormed over to Lana, Diet Coke in hand. For one terrifying moment, it appeared that Beth might swing the soda can directly into her mother’s perfect right cheekbone. Instead, Beth slammed it onto the table. Foam spilled over, lapping at her clenched fist. Beth didn’t seem to notice.

“Ma. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I—”

“First you take off on a ridiculous date without telling anyone. With a guy who is at best unreliable, at worst some kind of mud flat murderer.”

“I’m sure he’s harmless.”

“You’re sure, huh? Did the detectives tell you not to worry about sweet little Paul and his killer life jackets?”

“No, of course not. Those detectives are idiots.”

“Idiots. Right.” Beth took a sip of soda, gathering energy from inside the can. “Have those idiots cleared Jack yet?”

“They say she’s still a person of interest, but I think—”

“You think? You didn’t think. You volunteered my daughter to take a detective out in a kayak on Sunday, before they’ve even figured out what happened to the dead guy, before they’ve stopped looking at Jack like she’s a teen assassin, before I’ve even given Jack permission to go back out there.”

“You’re being ridiculous. You should have seen how they went after Paul Hanley. They’re grasping at straws, giving everyone the third degree, and we’re just sitting here waiting for them to make a move. This is our move. A smart one. It gets the detectives to see Jack as an asset, not a suspect. And she’ll be safe with them.”

“Oh sure, she’ll be safe. Right up to the moment they get her in a trap. And then—”

“Jack has nothing to hide,” Lana said. “So there’s nothing to trap her in.”

“Are you really that naive? You think you can just order the sheriffs to do the right thing? They aren’t your employees. You don’t have power here.”

Lana refused to back down. “Jack wants to get back out there. You said yourself the slough is her second home. She needs it to be okay. She needs it to be safe. And if she gets to know the detective better, she might be able to help me solve the case.”

Beth put her soda back on the counter. Her voice went heavy like a heated cast-iron skillet, flames licking at the edges.

“You. Are going to solve the case.”

Lana gazed back, steady.

“You. Who can barely get out of bed. Who can’t even finish a crossword puzzle. Who is afraid to drive.”

“You said I could help,” Lana said.