Free Leave No Stone Unturned (A Lexie Starr Mystery, Book 1) by Jeanne Glidewell

after a short hesitation. I thought I was getting a nibble.
    "Clay does want children, doesn't he?" I needed just a tad more bait on the hook.
    "Yeah, sure, of course he does," Wendy said, and laughed in a nervous reaction to
     my question. "He just doesn't know it yet."
    Now that was definitely a bite! My fishing trip had been successful. I'd found out
     what I wanted to know. Wendy's response told me Clay was not happy about having another
     pregnant wife on his hands. Now I knew I had to do something to get my daughter away
     from this man, and do it soon. When his first wife became pregnant, she ended up dead.
     I couldn't stand by and allow this same fate to befall Wendy.
    We spoke for a few more minutes. Before I hung up I asked her if she still had Mr.
     Van Patten's number handy. I didn't have it with me, and I was going to have to call
     him and try to explain my daughter's frantic phone call to him. Besides, it might
     help convince Wendy that Stone and I weren't involved in some hot and heavy, clandestine
     affair. I'd surely know his phone number if that were the case.
    "I've got to go, honey. I need to get this phone back to the nice lady I borrowed
     it from. I won't be out here too much longer, and we'll talk more about the baby when
     I get back. Okay? I love you, Wendy."
    "I love you too, Mom. Promise me you'll be careful."
    "You know I will. Don't you worry."
    "Well, all right. I'll try not to worry. Keep in touch."
    "I will. Bye-bye now, Wendy."
    "Bye, Mom."

 
     
     
    Chapter 9

     
    "Mr. Van Patten?" I spoke, hesitantly, into the pay phone.
    "Yes, this is he."
    "This is Lexie Starr. You're working on locating charms for a bracelet for me."
    "Of course, Lexie. Where are you? I had a hysterical phone call from your daughter
     yesterday, and I've been worried sick about you since. She caught me off guard, and
     I'm afraid I only made her more concerned."
    What a sweet man, I thought. He was worried sick about me and we'd never even met.
     It felt kind of nice to have a man concerned about my well-being.
    "Oh, well, er—Mr. Van Patten—"
    "It's Stone—"
    "Stone. It's a very long, rather embarrassing story and—"
    "Go on—"
    "Well, you see, to protect her from knowing too much, I had to tell my daughter that
     I was going to Myrtle Beach to meet you. Remember you offered to be my tour guide
     and all? The leaves are all so pretty back here this time of year. And the crabs are
     good too, I'm sure." I was floundering, humiliated to the bone, and probably making
     no sense at all. I felt as if I was beginning to hyperventilate and feared I'd soon
     need to breathe into a brown paper bag. "But to make a long story short, Stone, I'm
     just fine."
    "That much is a relief. I'm not sure I understood the rest of what you said, but I
     think I'd like to hear all the details. And, of course, the tour guide offer still
     stands."
    "Well, actually I'm not in Myrtle Beach at all. I'm in Schenectady, New York."
    "Now I think I'd really enjoy hearing all the details." He laughed pleasantly into
     the phone. "Say, a thought just occurred to me. I've got to fly up to New York City
     in a couple of days. I need to pick up some diamonds at a shop up there. I'll have
     a rental car and some spare time before my return flight. Any possibility of meeting
     me for lunch one day this week? I'll book my flight for whatever day works for you.
     I'm flexible on which day I pick up my diamond order. If we meet for lunch, you'll
     be able to explain it all to me then. I sincerely would like to meet you, Ms. Starr."
    "Have lunch with a guy hauling a load of diamonds around with him? How could I pass
     up an offer like that? Diamonds are a girl's best friend, you know." And for some
     reason, I really wanted someone to hear my ideas who might offer suggestions and opinions.
     I'd welcome someone to talk to, someone with whom I could share my concerns. Perhaps
     then I wouldn't feel so overwhelmed by trying to tackle all this alone.