Between the Sheets, page 23
And then came the expected tickle in his nose, followed by a distinctive "bork" from the other side of the fence. Rex ignored Kevin's protest, turning his head to sneeze.
He scratched behind Miss Kitty's ears. Another purr rumbled from her chest as she leaned into his fingers. Rex had to admit he enjoyed the connection. She was harder to please than Kevin, so he felt a certain satisfaction that she'd offered him a purr. Plus Miss Kitty has a regal quality that he admired, not unlike Viv.
"Bork!"
Rex looked toward his yard. On the other side of the fence Kevin pawed at the boards. "Jealous much?" he called to the dog. Rex suspected that Kevin might be feeling left out. He glanced toward Viv, whose eyes were closed.
Miss Kitty hopped to the ground. Her tail waved in the air as she sauntered toward the sound of Kevin's bark. His pawing stopped.
"Meow," she called, rubbing against the fence and then turning to rub her fur the other way.
Kevin yipped excitedly.
I know how he feels, Rex thought.
Viv began to speak. "So you actually see images roll up in your mind? That's how you knew Frank was Susan's father." Her eyes were still closed.
Turning away from watching Miss Kitty, he explained, "When I have, you know, the images, they are usually accompanied by a certain feeling, a sense of things. But I can have the image and the feelings and still not know what it's about. That part isn't always accurate." He thought about how, when he'd first seen the expensive sheets, his conclusion was that he'd be sleeping with Viv. Look how that turned out.
"I also saw Susan in an image,” Viv said. "She was maybe three or so years old, wearing a cowboy costume. A man bent over as if he was talking to her."
He sat up. "What? You saw it too—in your mind—like a slot machine? Now that's really something." Rex leaned back in his chair, lowering his sunglasses from the top of his head to cover his eyes. Then he cleared his throat.
“Not like that. It was a photo.”
“Oh that makes more sense. So let’s change the subject. I have an invitation, if you will."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Rex heard the door behind them slide open. He glanced over his shoulder and then groaned. Fernando Gutierrez stood with his arms folded over his chest. He could have been posing for a muscle man magazine, he looked so perfect and detached.
Rex gulped. "Does he have to hang out so close? He can hear our every word."
“That's his job." Viv smiled. "He's my bodyguard."
Rex did not feel amused. He'd seen the empty plate of cookies on the counter when he'd passed by to the pool. In his opinion, Viv had adjusted to this recent invasion of her privacy all too easily. It was as if Fernando already meant something to her.
"You can't bring him," Rex said stoutly.
"Bring him where?" Viv asked.
"On the cruise. That's what I'm proposing. I booked us a trip to Hawaii. For next week. A quick getaway. As a surprise. We'll sit on the beach and soak up the sun. Doesn't that sound nice? A good way to recuperate from this latest investigation, and I can keep an eye out, just in case people are following you."
When Viv didn't say anything, Rex’s agitation grew. "Aren't you excited, you know, to take a trip, get away for a few days?"
"I get seasick," she said calmly.
He'd not thought of that.
"And I don't like buffet food," she added, her voice sounding firm. "Plus what about Miss Kitty; who will take care of her?"
Rex felt defeated. He'd hoped she'd be thrilled that a man, such as himself, had taken charge. He'd offered to escort her on a cruise, playing the role of every woman's dream companion. There were lots of females who would have jumped at the chance.
She could dress up and drink unlimited cocktails and get a manicure.
Viv tipped her bottle of water toward her lips. "Will my stateroom be next to yours?"
It can be, Rex thought. Once I cancel the one room and book two instead. He'd not thought that she'd prefer her own accommodations. But if that's what it took to get Vivienne Rose to go on a vacation with him, well then that's what he'd do.
"I've arranged for two deluxe staterooms." Okay, that was a lie, but only by omission. He'd reserve the second room right away, as soon as he could. Turning his lie into a reality.
Viv put her bottle under her chair. She stretched out her legs and rested her arms over her cover-up. He reached to take her hand. Gently touching the red marks on her wrist, he sighed.
"Don't you think you need a rest?"
She drew her sunglasses down to stare at him. "From you?" she teased.
He laughed. "Okay, I am bit much, I admit it."
"Just a bit?" She pushed the glasses back on her nose, leaving him to ponder her meaning.
His cell phone pinged. Followed by a text message on his screen: “Your voyage countdown has begun. Only ten more days until boarding. Sign on to our website to select your preferred dining options.”
He lost no time. "I have to answer this," he told her, heading toward the house.
Once he'd finished booking the extra stateroom, he texted Sutton and his on-call doc with the boutique practice. The doc assured him he'd have the prescription delivered, Palm Desert style.
Brimming with goodwill, Rex pushed past Fernando. "Move, would ya?" he said. Then he sat next to Viv. "I've solved everything. You've got a stateroom with a balcony. I've arranged for Sutton to cat sit. My doc has a patch for seasickness. Very chic, worn right behind your ear. And I've booked us a table for dinner every night where waiters bring the food and there's no buffet in sight."
He leaned back in his chair, feeling very pleased with himself. A few texts and a website visit had removed all of Viv's misgivings. He began to hum an old Sinatra song, "The Best Is Yet to Come," under his breath. Until she spoke, making the last note catch in his throat.
"Don't forget Fernando. He'll need his own stateroom for the voyage."
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
One of the first reviews for A Doula to Die For made my day. The reader said in so many words, "I liked this book because it wasn't about a granny brigade. I'm so tired of those!"
Now don't get me wrong. I love reading about older women who surprise everyone by solving the crime. Just ask Miss Marple. She's on my shelf. And of course there's Jessica Fletcher, the world-traveling detective writer from Cabot Cove. Who happens to write mystery novels and teach a college class in forensics, even though she has no particular degree in criminal justice. But she does rock a business suit and a scarf, and she takes no prisoners to solve the crime.
From the beginning I never intended for Redondo and Rose to be the average sixty-something couple. I wanted to write about a midlife romance that involved people who did not necessarily focus on their family relationships alone. It was my hope to make their relationship sexy and interesting. One where opposites attract.
And to make the stories more intriguing, I put Redondo and Rose in a setting where people go to retire. Palm Desert, right outside Palm Springs, is the perfect place for a seasoned romance between two whip-smart individuals who think their lives are all settled until…they become neighbors.
Thank you so much for all of your feedback this past year. And for reaching out to tell me your thoughts on the blooming relationship between Viv and her mentalist neighbor.
I can’t thank Husband enough for his proof reading expertise and unending support of this writer’s process. We do laugh a lot, especially when his character turns up in Rex in all the right ways.
Until then, don't forget, like Frank Sinatra's song, the best is yet to come.
ALSO BY BONNIE HARDY
For a full list please go to bonniehardywrites.com/Books
Lily Rock Mystery
Cozy Mystery Series
Olivia Greer's trip to the mountain town of Lily Rock turns out quite differently than the getaway she expected. Her friend is found dead and she ends up being the prime suspect in the murder. With the help of Mayor Maguire, the town's labradoodle, and Michael Bellemare, the famous hunky architect, she comes to discover deep connections to the town that she could never have anticipated. Love. Laughter. Whodunit. Join Olivia as she begins her journey of self discovery.
Welcome to Lily Rock
Holiday Cozy Mystery Novellas
As an homage to the holiday classic film, It's a Wonderful Life, Bonnie Hardy contemplates what the small town of Lily Rock was like before the arrival of Olivia Greer. In this prequel spin-off series, you'll enjoy fresh adventures with holiday themes and learn the backstories of the characters you've come to know and love.
Redondo and Rose Neighbors in Crime
Cozy Mystery Series
He's a mentalist. She's a doula.
They are neighbor's in crime.
In this new series by Bonnie Hardy, Neighbors Rex Redondo and Vivienne Rose are entangled in the investigation of who murdered the woman floating in Viv's swimming pool. Playing Bogart to her Bacall, Rex and Viv solve the mystery and explore their mid-life romance in a setting reminiscent of Old Hollywood.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bonnie Hardy is an educator, curriculum writer, musician, and preacher. A lover of libraries and literacy, Bonnie directed the Pilgrim Literacy Center in Carlsbad, CA. before moving to the desert in 2017.
As a retired military spouse, she's lived and worked in Washington DC, No. Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Twentynine Palms. Bonnie has published in Christian Century, Presence: An International Journal for Spiritual Direction, and with Pilgrim Press.
Since 2020 she's penned two series of cozy mystery books. Love. Laughter. Whodunit? best describes The Lily Rock Mystery series and Redondo and Rose Neighbors in Crime.
When not planting flowers and baking cookies, she can be found at her computer plotting her next cozy mystery.
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Start the Lily Rock Mystery series with Getaway Death
Prologue
Overheard in Lily Rock
“I love the town of Lily Rock. Their lies are so authentic.”
Fog rolled over the mountain road. Despite the poor visibility, the woman drove as if her life depended upon it.
A sharp curve to the right—her squealing tires issued a warning.
Tentatively removing one hand from the steering wheel, she kept her eyes on the road, her fingers reaching down for her windshield wipers. Swish. The blade on the glass moved to the left, then the right. Her gaze remained fixed on the road in front of her. Reaching over the steering wheel, she swiped with her hand at the thick condensation blocking her view from inside the car.
Veering into the next curve, she felt her stomach lurch. Brakes squealed again as the car catapulted into an unexpected second hairpin turn. Her head lolled to the right. As she came out of the curve, she pushed the button on the foggy driver’s side door and rolled down the window, revealing clouds of fog.
Another vehicle rumbled behind her car, close to her bumper.
“I guess somebody’s in a big hurry,” she snapped to the empty car.
The window slid shut as she looked out of the front windshield to the right, then the left. No turnout lane yet. Tightness stiffened her neck as her hands began to shake on the wheel. Stop tailgating me. Please.
She felt the tires slip on the road, the car floating for a moment. As she slammed on the brakes, her body heaved against the seat belt, her neck and head rocking forward then back. Her stomach came up to her throat.
As her car skidded toward the cliff, she only had one thought:
I finally know how I will die.
End of Sample
To continue reading
be sure to pick up Getaway Death
at your favorite retailer.
Bonnie Hardy, Between the Sheets
