Free Love With A Stranger by Janelle Taylor

tonight; let’s take a walk on the beach; it should be deserted by now.”
    “That’s an excellent idea.”
    “You’d better grab a windbreaker; it’s cool and windy out there. I’ll clean up the table while you fetch your things.”
    “Thank you, Peter, for everything you’re doing for me,” she told him before leaving the room and thinking how odd it sounded and felt to be thanking Tom’s son time and time again for being nice.
    Cass put on walk-ing shoes and selected a thin jacket to keep her arms warm. She noticed the briefcase and grocery sack, collected them, and returned to the kitchen to initiate her pretense about them.
    “I almost forgot about these, Peter; those two detectivesbrought them over yesterday. They were in Tom’s car when… he wrecked it.”
    Peter placed the briefcase on the counter and tried to open it, but it was locked. He dumped out the contents in the sack, then pushed aside the two gifts and said, “These must be for you.”
    “Probably, but I’ll open them later. I don’t want to get sad and weepy on you. The novel isn’t mine; perhaps Miss Lowrey left it in his car that night,” she added when he tried to hand the book to her. From the corner of her eyes, she watched for any revealing reaction to that fact and the model’s name, but detected none. She decided that either Peter masked his feelings well or he was in the dark about his father’s secrets.
    “This camera is totally smashed, so I’ll toss it in the trash.” He checked the wallet, handed her the cash and pictures, and said he would destroy the credit cards since she had her own. He used the keys to unlock the briefcase and, with it facing him, checked its contents. “Mostly business papers and Dad’s calendar. I’ll take them with me and go over them later.” He removed the house and burglar alarm keys from his father’s ring and laid them on the counter, pocketing the others to take to the business offices.
    Cass watched Peter lift the lid on the black velvet box and tell her it was another gift for her. She accepted it and closed the box. “Tom was always bringing me things; he was a generous person,” she murmured, hating to compliment her betrayer.
    “Unless you want it for sentimental reasons, I’ll keep the wallet.”
    “Please do so, Peter.”
    “You still want me to keep Dad’s Rolex and his ruby ring?”
    “Yes, they should be passed along to his only son, and there was no need to bury such expensive items with him.”
    “They’ll be special to me. Now, let’s get off this sad memory lane and take our walk. Grab your margarita and let’s go.”
    “That’s my favorite drink. I’m sure it’s been long enoughsince I took half a Valium this afternoon for it to be safe. Somehow I don’t think I’ll be needing another one tonight.”
    “You took half? I don’t understand.”
    Cass explained how she had lowered the dosage. “I just needed a little to calm me so I could take a nap. I got upset by those meddlesome women.”
    “That was clever, and it obviously worked. Ready to go?”
    “More than ready. Which drink is mine?”
    “Either one, I mixed them the same.”
    Cass picked up the plastic cup with a handle nearest to her and tasted it. “Um-m-m, delicious. Thanks.”
    After locking the door, Cassandra and Peter Grantham strolled side by side down a stone walkway to the end of the lawn and stepped onto sand as soft and white as sifted flour. They passed through an opening in the picketlike privacy fence and skirted low dunes with tall grasses and sea oats wafting in a breeze. The tide was out, so the water, as clear and blue as the heaven overhead, moved in and out with leisure, and created a wide spanse for walk-ing. The sun had set recently, so the western sky was still ablaze with vibrant colors on the horizon. To their left and right, portions of other nearby islands were in view. Expensive homes lined the beach in both directions. It was a peaceful and lovely setting, a