Free Domestic Affairs (Tiara Investigations Mystery) by Lane Stone

and Tara went to kiss him goodnight. Jack had started the engine, but until the two lovebirds finished carrying on, he couldn’t pull out. I tapped on the window. Before I could say a word he started, “Let me get this straight. You met this woman a few hours ago and you’re this concerned about her.”
    I stared at him, pulled between love and a lie. “Yes, I am concerned about her. Maybe Victoria and Tara and I can help find her. At this point the police aren’t going to do squat.” I looked in his face for any sign of disbelief or a dismissive attitude, but all that was there was a question.
    Tara came to my rescue and answered him. “She was Paul’s stepfather’s fiancée.”
    “My stepfather, who you had never met,” Paul added.
      He had us there.
    “Practically family,” I said. “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”   I stepped away from the car, figuring the sooner Jack and Paul left, the sooner we could follow Al.
    “I’m leaving in the morning, you know.” He put the car in reverse.
    “You mean you’re leaving again in the morning.” I walked away, and my husband backed the car down the driveway.   I doubt he even looked back.      
    I dote on my husband and he dotes on me, but it was time for him to put on his big boy pants and deal with it. I was doing the right thing looking for Bea, rather than going home and leaving it to Tara and Victoria, who were walking by my side.  
    “Are you okay with this?” Victoria glanced at Jack driving away.
    “Al isn’t going anywhere until we’re gone, or he thinks we are,” I whispered.  
    Tara took my hand in both hers and pressed the car keys into my palm. “I’m glad you’re going with us.   Will you drive?   I don’t trust myself.”
      Paul’s very big Mercedes was parked on the street.     He’s not too much taller than me so I didn’t bother changing the seat position. “Do they give these out when you graduate from medical school?   Most doctors seem to drive Mercedes.”  
    “Shorty’s never driven anything but a Mercedes either, and always S Class. I thought it was just him being predictable,” Victoria said.
    I drove to the nearest intersection, turned left, and stopped. Then I got out my opera glasses. “I’d love to know what Paige was doing behind her house. Can either of you see their backyard?”
    “I think we’re too far away.” Victoria’s voice was hesitant.
    Tara hadn’t answered.  
    I looked at Victoria and saw she was looking through opera glasses. “You put opera glasses in your handbags, too?” I asked.
    “Force of habit,” she said.  
    “I see a small shed,” Tara said. “It looks just big enough for a riding lawn mower, though.”  
    I looked at her in the rear view mirror and she was also gazing at the Fords’ backyard with the aid of opera glasses.  
    “It’s the third house down and there aren’t any fences between them. I think I’ll go have a look in that shed.” I jumped out of the car before they could argue.   “Victoria, drive back to their street. I’ll meet you there.”
    Tara reached for my opera glasses. “Leave those with us. If you get caught wearing them, you’ll look deranged.”
    I got out of the car and shook my hands, then my feet to warm up.   “Stealth is my middle name.”
    Victoria and Tara stage whispered, “Stealth is your middle name!”
    “I do not have to go to the bathroom as bad as I think I do!” I tossed my opera glasses back in the car, looked both ways and crossed the street.   I crept slowly into the first backyard, then a motion detector turned on a light and I picked up my pace and jogged through. As soon as I put one foot into the second yard, a tiny, yapping dog came after me. I charged off like it was last call.   He about caught me when I made it to the Ford’s yard.   The mangy creature froze. There had to be an invisible fence. He was feeling pretty high and mighty because the intruder he was chasing was actually running