Free Berried Secrets by Peg Cochran Page B

doesn’t have work papers, Jeffie will get in trouble. You heard what he said.”
    Monica hesitated. “I suppose there’s no reason we can’t go down to Flynn’s and check with the bartender and the waitresses ourselves. If Mauricio was there, someone may remember. Anyone out of the ordinary sticks out like a sore thumb around here.”
    Gina’s eyes lit up. “Let’s go tonight. I’ll come by around seven o’clock and pick you up.”
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    Monica wished she could share Gina’s excitement about the evening’s activity. She ate a quick dinner and changed into a pair of dark slacks and a turtleneck sweater. She hoped Jeff wouldn’t stop by—she didn’t want to tell him where they were going. He wouldn’t like it.
    The front doorbell rang at ten minutes after seven. Monica pulled it open and gasped. Gina was wearing a skintight miniskirt, a fitted angora sweater cut down to
there
and thigh-high faun-colored suede boots. Her hair was piled ontop of her head with a studied casualness that probably took three hours to achieve, and her eyelashes were thick, dark and an inch long.
    â€œYou’re not going to wear that!” they both said at the same time.
    Gina sniffed. “What’s wrong with my outfit? We want to get these men talking, don’t we? There’s nothing like a big dose of sex appeal to loosen a man’s tongue.”
    â€œBut Flynn’s is more tavern than nightclub.”
    Gina pursed her glossy lips. “And what do you think you’re going to get out of them dressed like a . . . a,” she swept a hand toward Monica, “a nun.”
    â€œWhat?” Monica looked down at herself. She was perfectly presentable—pants nicely ironed with a sharp crease, clean sweater, polished brown loafers. She’d even put in a pair of gold earring studs Jeff had given her for Christmas back when he was in high school.
    â€œWe’re going to Flynn’s to get information, not a date,” Monica protested.
    Gina put a hand on her cocked hip. “It wouldn’t hurt you to have a date once in a while, would it? Not that you’re going to find one at Flynn’s, but don’t you thinkTed has been gone long enough? Time for you to get on with your life.”
    â€œI don’t know. . . .”
    â€œLook, Monica. You and Ted weren’t exactly a match made in heaven, you know. You like to read, and the only thing he ever read was the sports page. Your idea of a good time is an evening in watching an old movie on television, and he was a party animal. He was a daredevil and you’re . . . not.”
    That last part was true, Monica thought. Ted liked taking chances. They were on vacation when he ignored the redwarning signs on the beach and insisted on going swimming. He was caught in a riptide and never made it back to shore.
    â€œYou’re a beautiful woman. I can’t understand why you don’t make more use of it.”
    Monica ducked her head. “I was never any good at flirting. Besides, I was taller than all the boys in middle school, and by the time they were at least my height, they were used to ignoring me.”
    â€œWe’re going to change that and make sure no one ignores you tonight.” Gina put down her purse, slipped out of her black leather jacket and pushed up her sleeves. “Let’s go see what’s in that closet of yours.”
    Monica meekly followed Gina as they climbed the steep stairs to the second floor. Gina glanced around the bedroom, and Monica was glad she’d taken the time to pull up the comforter and fluff the pillows.
    Gina made a beeline for the closet and pulled open the door. “Oh,” she cried in dismay when she saw the contents.
    â€œI didn’t need a lot of clothes when I was running Monica’s,” Monica said defensively. “I wore an apron all