Free Good Girls Do by Cathie Linz

with Algee and Tyler’s help, it still took more than an hour to move all the stuff out.
    “You sure you don’t want this talking mackerel?” Algee asked.
    Luke nodded. “Positive.”
    “And the beer collection? Seems the perfect thing for a tavern to have.”
    Luke shot him one of his don’t-give-me-any-more-crap looks, one of several things he’d picked up in the Marine Corps. “The point is to get rid of this junk, not try in vain to talk me into keeping it.”
    “You could probably get good money for this beer can collection on eBay,” Algee added.
    “Hear that sisters?” Luke pointed to the three boxes. “You can get good money for the beer can collection on eBay. Go for it.”
    “Excellent idea,” Sister Mary said before turning to Tyler. “We have warm meals at the shelter in Rock Springs if you need any assistance.”
    “He just looks homeless, but he’s not,” Algee said on Tyler’s behalf.
    “He’s probably socking all his money into some investment portfolio on the stock market,” Luke said.
    “Is that true?” Obviously not one to be distracted from a possible noble cause, Sister Mary laid her hand on Tyler’s arm, right above a tear in his flannel shirt.
    “I’m not investing in the stock market.” Tyler’s voice sounded rusty. “Don’t worry about me, sister. There are plenty of folks worse off than I am.”
    “If you ever want to talk . . .”
    “I’m not one for much talking,” Tyler said curtly.
    Sister Mary nodded her understanding and removed her hand. “If you should change your mind, here’s my card.” She handed it to him. “The offer goes for you, too, Luke.”
    He frowned, not at all pleased to be lumped in the same category as Tyler.
    But Luke still retained enough of a trace of manners not to reject the card the nun handed him. “I don’t need any help,” he said. “I just want to get rid of all this junk, that’s all.”
    “Ridding yourself of the material goods doesn’t mean you’ll rid yourself of the memories,” Sister Mary said.
    The knowing look in her eyes remained with Luke long after she’d left, making him feel guilty for tossing the card she’d given him . . . but not preventing him from pitching it anyway.

Chapter Five
    “Trick or treat!”
    Angel smiled at the young girl standing on the doorstep. “And who are you supposed to be?”
    “Cinderella.”
    “Really?” Angel bent down so she was eye-level with her. “Did you know that Cinderella actually went into the shoe business? She designed footwear that was environmentally friendly and didn’t harm any animals. So obviously leather was out. Her business was so successful that she bailed out the king and queen, who’d driven the kingdom’s economy into the ground with huge deficits caused by their excessive lifestyle. In return, Cinderella demanded free elections so every citizen could participate in the selection of their government. The Green Party won and opened the palace to everyone. And that’s the way to get a happy ending.” Angel paused to reach for a bowl.
    The self-proclaimed Cinderella eyed it suspiciously. “What’s that?”
    “Organic apples.”
    “Yuck. Where’s the candy?”
    “Candy is poison.”
    The little girl’s eyes widened. “Poison? You mean like what the witch gave Sleeping Beauty?”
    “Of course not. And they prefer to be called Wiccans, not witches. Speaking of Sleeping Beauty, we’ve got a spinning wheel on display in the front yard. Did you see?”
    “The witch had one of those.”
    “That was all a big mistake. Actually, she taught Sleeping Beauty how to spin the most beautiful things so she could be self-sufficient and not dependend on some prince to support her or rescue her. Soon SB, as she was known in the business world, had an entire line of scarves and sweaters all woven out of the finest natural fibers. Hey, where are you going?”
    “To find candy,” the little girl stated in disgust.
     
     
    Julia returned home from a long