Page 152 of Remiss

“Now, give me the fucking ice for my cousin’s hand.” She swept her gaze overhisswelling hand. “You need some, too.”

Scowling, Tee stomped away, quickly returning with an ice-filled plastic bag and shoving it through the window’s opening. “I can’t fucking open today thanks to you three.”

“We’ll compensate you for the lost revenue,” Roxy swore. “Let’s jet.”

Turning, she went to the table and grabbed her handbag just as Symphony groaned and sat up. She opened her mouth.

“Bitch, if you know what’s good for you, swallow those fucking words.”

Apparently, she’d had enough of Roxy. She snapped her mouth shut, struggled to her feet, and ran to the bathroom, without looking back.

At loose ends, Kendall decided not to go into the office. The morning had been filled with drama and she’d never be able to concentrate. Besides, she needed to touch base with Bash and see when their rescheduled meeting could take place.

Johnnie didn’t have much to say to her or Mattie yesterday and barely spoke to them at breakfast this morning. Or, maybe, they hadn’t had much to say to him. Mattie and the boys seemed to be happy that they were returning to school.

Yet Kendall still felt adrift. One, Meggie wasn’t home. She didn’t think she’d settle until her friend returned. Maybe, then, life could return to normal. Then, there was Mortician. She was so worried about him, especially after Rory told her what happened to both Digger and Cash.

There was also Celia Caldwell lurking. She had no idea what that bitch wanted and it shocked her that Christopher was so accepting. Had he listened to his instinct and decided she was safe? Or was his guard so far down because Meggie wasn’t home that he’d allowed a snake into their midst?

She didn’t know. Although she wouldn’t find answers at Charlotte Redding’s house, Kendall called her and asked if they could have lunch. She valued Charlotte as a friend and someone who’d supported her when no one else would. But she’d long ago stopped confiding her darkest secrets and she rarely spoke about the club. However, Kendall wanted to talk to her about the conversation she’d had with Brooks about the state of hismarriage as well as Charlotte’s intentions. Kendall needed to form her own opinion about the situation and then decide what to do.

The Reddings no longer lived in an exclusive neighborhood behind security gates with check-in stations. While it wasn’t the ramshackle structure they’d moved into when Christopher first made Brooks work for him to atone for his sins, it was an ordinary, two-level ranch style home that sat on a quarter acre of land.

Kendall parked behind Charlotte’sSubaru Legacy, a match to Brooks’s sedan. Before she reached the porch, Charlotte opened the door.

“Kendall, darling,” she greeted, stepping aside so Kendall could enter.

She paused and kissed Charlotte’s cheek, waiting until her friend closed the door and guided her to the elegant dining room.

“I couldn’t have Cook prepare anything elaborate on such short notice, but anything for my Kendall.”

Smiling, Kendall pulled out her seat and slipped into the chair while Charlotte did the same. “Whatever she prepared smells delicious.”

“Always. Cook is an excellent chef.”

Charlotte still didn’t believe in equality where her staff was concerned, now reduced to two—a cook and a housekeeper—instead of the fourteen she once employed. The housekeeper wasMaid, while the chef was simplyCook.

“I haven’t seen you in a while,” Kendall explained. “Brooks mentioned you and him were having some issues. I’ve been meaning to drop in and see how everything is.”

“Resolved, my dear,” Charlotte said briskly, and Kendall sagged in relief.

“I’m so glad to hear that.”

“Brooks mentioned you weren’t pleased about my plan.”

“I wasn’t,” Kendall acknowledged. “Considering you intended to set Meggie up.”

“To save Brooks. Surely you can understand that, darling.”

“Protecting your husbandisunderstandable, Charlotte. Using an innocent woman to do it when your idiot listened to my idiot isn’t. Brooks should’ve gone to Christopher.”

Charlotte drew herself up. “Well.Christopher? Sounds…cozy.”

“He’s my brother-in-law. There’s nothing more to it.”

“You can fool everyone else, Kendall, but not me. I know you’ve always carried a tawdry passion for that soulless criminal.”

“Don’t go there. Everyone else has forgotten it. We’ve all moved past it.”