Free The Secret Ingredient Murders: A Eugenia Potter Mystery by Virginia Nancy; Rich Pickard Page B

took note of the implied cynicism about Stanley Parker’s son-in-law and let it pass. It wasn’t as if Stanley himself had ever had a good word to say about Randy Dixon. Why should she be surprised if the bad feelings were mutual?
    “Aunt Genia, may I have more of this lobster stuff?”
    “You like it, Jason? Your sister helped make it.”
    Kevin pulled his mouth down into a funny grimace. “It’s a good thing you didn’t tell us that before we tried it. It’s really good. Are you sure Janie had anything to do with it?”
    “Stop it, Dad.” Jason’s eyebrows drew together in the scowl that appeared so often on his face. “Janie’s not Mom.” Before bending to his food again, he muttered, “And I’m not you.”
    His dad’s face flushed, and he looked hurt again.
    When Genia went over to pour extra coffee in Kevin’s cup, she placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment, wanting both to comfort him and to pull him back from saying any more of the wrong things. Gently, she said to both of them, “I love the way you and your sister support each other, Jason. I wish my own children had been so nice to each other when they were growing up. It’s good to see.”
    “Janie is his best friend,” his father said.
    “No, she’s not,” his son countered. “My best friend’s dead.”
    And suddenly, the boy began to cry. He put his elbows on the kitchen table and bent his face into his knuckles and sobbed until his whole body shook. His dad looked surprised and helpless. Genia placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned over until she could place her cheek against the top of his head.
    “I’m so sorry, Jason,” she said. “I’m so sorry.”
    When she straightened up and caught a glimpse of the father’s face, she was surprised to see that he didn’t look sympathetic, he looked angry again. Was Kevin jealous of his son’s relationship with Stanley? she wondered. If so , she thought a bit angrily herself, he need never worry about that competition again! She couldn’t stay mad though; it was unkind to resent a father for loving his son so much. But maybe that’s why Janie was so hateful about Stanley earlier this evening , Genia suddenly realized. If she wasn’t her brother’s best friend anymore, she might understandably feel left out and jealous . But why would that anger crop up so suddenly, when the girl hadn’t previously expressed any hostility toward her twin’s employer?
    Genia shook off the questions. They no longer mattered.
    As soon as Jason and Kevin finished eating, Jason took the car that he shared with Janie and said he was going home to his mother’s. Genia gave Kevin a ride in the opposite direction, to a friend’s house where he said he could spend the night.
    “Weather’s too bad right now to get back out to the island,” he commented. “I’d have to be crazy to take my boat back out tonight.”
    “You’re more than welcome to stay here, Kevin.”
    “Thanks, Genia, but my friend will have clothes I can change into. I wouldn’t look too good in one of your dresses.”
    She had to laugh at that, in spite of the burden in her heart. And she felt secretly glad to be able to return to her cozy rented home to collapse into bed, without having to worry about an overnight guest. On the way to his friend’s house, and just to make conversation, she said, “I hear you’ve changed your mind about the art festival, Kevin.”
    “Me? Changed my mind about what?”
    “About holding it on the island. I know you were really opposed to that idea, but I heard tonight that you think it’s all right now.”
    “No offense, but you heard wrong, Genia. I mean, no way. I don’t want all those people out there tromping around my studio. Who said that, anyway?”
    “I must have heard wrong,” she fudged. “So you’re still opposed to it?”
    “Absolutely. Look, if they want to hold their stupid festival in town, let them. But Stanley rented me that island for my own private use. I’ve