Free Trimmed With Murder by Sally Goldenbaum Page A

had been floating around in her head all day. “He’s right here in Sea Harbor, Aunt Nell, and the only words I’ve spoken to him have been about as intimate as what I exchanged with the sacker at Shaw’s today.”
    â€œI’m not sure if he’s here.” Nell glanced out the window. Two figures were walking up the flagstone path. “I take that back. He’s here. He and Ben are coming in right now. I’m putting on some chowder—”
    â€œChowder? My favorite. I made that apple crisp you like this afternoon . . .”
    It was settled, then. Sunday night dinner, a family affair. They’d collect Abby and be over shortly.
    If that was all right, of course.
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    Ben stoked the fire, then began mixing a shaker of martinis while Nell explained to Charlie that Amber hadn’t shown up for an important meeting that afternoon. The others were worried. Did he know where she was?
    Charlie, frowned, concern shadowing his face. “She didn’t show? She has my car.”
    The sound of a car in the drive interrupted and they all looked toward the door, half expecting Amber to walk in.
    But it was the Chambers clan, Red leading the way, immediately rubbing up against Charlie’s jeans.
    Charlie kneaded his ears while Izzy put the still-warm apple crisp on the counter and Sam climbed the back stairs to settle Abby down for an early bedtime.
    Ben repeated briefly to all of them what little he knew about the meeting that was cut short. “Basically nothing happened. We rescheduled,” he said.
    The creases in Charlie’s forehead deepened.
    â€œSo you loaned her your car?” Ben asked.
    Why?
Nell thought, and realized suddenly that while she’d felt some compassion for the young woman, she had also felt a slight distrust, something she wasn’t proud of. She tried now to push it aside. The concern on Charlie’s face was easy to see—but whether it was for his missing car or for the missing woman, she wasn’t sure.
    â€œI told her last night that I was still camping out in your guesthouse, just in case she needed anything. And I guess she did. She showed up this morning, pounding on the door with doughnuts and coffee. She had walked up from Harbor Road, bundled up like an Eskimo. The doughnuts were a ploy so I’d let her use my car. She needed one today and had never driven a stick, which is what the lady she’s staying with has.”
    â€œWhy did she need a car?” Nell asked.
    Charlie didn’t answer for a minute, as if it was a most logical question, but one he himself hadn’t thought to ask. Finally he said, “She mentioned the meeting at the rectory around four.”
    â€œShe came for your car this morning?” Ben said. The implication was clear. He passed around martinis while he talked.
    â€œShe said there was something else she needed to do first.” This time there was a hint of defensiveness in Charlie’s voice that he tempered with a swallow of martini.
    Nell watched the shadow across Charlie’s face. It wasn’t really their business. They all knew that. But somehow it seemed as though it was. Amber had taken Charlie’s car. Somewhere.
    Everyone was quiet.
    Izzy busied herself by unwrapping a circle of Camembert. She tugged off the last piece of paper and set the cheese on a board next to the crackers.
    Nell stirred cream into the chowder.
    Charlie stared into the martini glass as if the answer were there in the clear liquid. He took another swallow, then fingered the toothpick, swirling the olive around the sides. Finally he looked at Ben. “Hell, Uncle Ben, I don’t have a clue where she is or why she needed my car. All I know is wherever she was headed was too far to walk. For someone who likes to walk and is used to hitchhiking, I suppose that means some distance.” His voice had an edge to it, but his eyes held