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“No.No.Absolutely not. I’m not dating her. Ever?—”
“Not forthat.”Jackie rolled her eyes. “Though I do think there could be something there. I mean for helping you. You saw how she handled talking with the baker. And with the other people. You weren’t as tense, and you even spoke.”
“Because she kept dragging me into conversations.”
“Exactly,” Jackie said. “She knows how to get you to talk.”
“She doesn’t even like me.”
“Well, whose fault is that?”
“It’s mutual.”
Jackie rolled her eyes again. “Really? Or were you grumpy with her?”
“Okay,fine.Maybe I could have been nicer when she broke into my house and critiqued my work. But the damage is done. We barely talk without fighting. She definitely wouldn’t help me.”
Again,I added mentally.
“You could offer her something in return. I’m sure there’s something she wants to do.”
The strawberries. She wanted to bring those back.
I thought about it. I could plant the roots as soon as possible for a field. It would make my days endless, but it could get done, and she would have them by spring, if she were even around.
“There . . . is something.”
“Then offer it. I think she’s the key to this.”
“Can’t you and I keep trying?”
“We could, but you’re on borrowed time, and she got you to open up likethat.” She snapped her fingers. “Just ask her.”
I groaned. “You know how much I hate asking for help.”
“I do,” she replied. “But you’ll have to do it eventually. And I have a feeling she’ll say yes.”
“You haven’t seen her when we’re alone.”
“She’s a nice girl. She’s Bennie’s granddaughter. Kindness may have skipped over a generation of that family, but not her.”
Even if I hated the idea, I knew Jackie was right.
But the timing couldn’t be worse. If Kerry spilled everything I’d done, and I knew she would, then I had a feeling asking for help was going to be far more difficult than usual.
15
MOLLIE
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Kerry Winsor
Since when does Cain go to the farmers market? I saw Mollie dragging him around.
Comments:
Jackie Anne: Sometimes he gets out of the house.