Page 10 of Murder on Charity Lane

Sunny shuffled in behind Karina, wearing a green button-down over navy board shorts, with age spots on his bald dome, gold chains on his turkey neck, and flip-flops on his regrettable feet.

“It’s gorgeous outside, Frank, you need sunshine.” Karina made a bowling gesture. “Come play bocce.”

“Are you and CJ plotting against me? She’s trying to trick me into visiting Lotusland.”

Karina tsked. “Honestly, CJ. Lotusland? What are you thinking?”

“That it’s gorgeous outside and Frank needs sunshine.”

Karina’s gaze sharpened on the Wedgwood cup. “Is that decaf?”

“Of course.”

“I should hope so.” Karina sat beside Frank. “Sunny wants you to get a transfusion. There’s a new procedure that boosts muscle regeneration and, um, neuron growth?”

“Young blood!” Sunny rasped, lowering his sunglasses. “I’m telling you, Frankie, this is like parabiosis two-point-oh. Even the goddamn Mayo Clinic is admitting that sweet young plasma will rejuvenate you. You’ll be a new man in no time. Bouncing Karina off the California king like the old days.”

Karina rolled her eyes. “You should look into this, Frank. I know Sunny is Sunny, but he showed me some articles.”

“I’m finally getting used to being an old man,” Frank said. “Now I want to be young again?”

“Do it for me! You know I want you to live forever.”

“That sounds exhausting.”

Karina took his hand. “Please?”

“Well, I…” His voice turned watery. “For you, anything.”

“I’ll make an appointment! Oh, and don’t forget our massages later. We’ll have them by the pool, after lunch.”

“Would you like to add that transfusion appointment to the schedule?” CJ asked Karina, keeping her voice bland and professional. “The cardiologist called to confirm, but the rheumatologist is still playing hard to get. There’s Pax’s massages, and do you want the nutritionist to stop back in?”

“Yes,” Karina said. “As I mentioned several times.”

“So we’ll need to schedule this around her. Hm. Isn’t the urologist also on the list? Why don’t I email you the schedule and you can add the transfusion people?”

“Why don’t you make the appointment?” Karina said. “As that’s your job.”

“Oh.” CJ attempted to look unhappy. “Yes, of course.”

She didn’t glance at Frank again, but she knew there’d be a flash of appreciation in his eyes. Now she could delay the transfusion appointment forever, without him having to hurt Karina’s feelings with a refusal. Karina really did love him and really did want him to live forever. Frank loved her, too, for whatever reasons. But in private he’d admitted to CJ that he was tired, sore, and ready for a long sleep.

6

SOPHIE

As Nicholas drove, I gazed out the passenger window and gathered my courage. Fundraising events still scared me a little, and Hope Ranch didn’t feel like Santa Barbara: the streets were too lush, too private, too dimly lit. I’d only lived in town for a few years, but I’d learned to expect Spanish architecture and dry lawns pebbled with succulents. Also, streetlights.

On the other side of the ornate HOPE RANCH sign, mansions started appearing with well-watered gardens and expansive lawns. There was an actual lagoon—currently covered in algae, sure, but I’d thought lagoons only appeared in horror movies.

“Like Swamp Thing,” I said aloud.

“Except we’re in Hope Ranch,” Nicholas told me, “so he’d be Hope Thing. He rises from the muck, black eyes gleaming, and is quite optimistic about all this.”

I laughed. “His catchphrase is ‘Everything is fine.’ Which is true if you never leave this neighborhood. Oooh, look at that house. Maybe we should move here instead of into your cottage.”

“What would Mrs. B do without us?”