Free Hollyhock Ridge by Pamela Grandstaff Page B

cigarette and smokes it like that.”
    Pip just shrugged and followed her inside.
    Claire turned on the computer, checked Sean’s emails, and
then checked the voicemail. There were no new emails or messages, so her work
was now done. There was nothing left to do but babysit the quiet office. She
sighed, and then made some coffee. Meanwhile, Pip got to work, and she was
relieved that he didn’t try to chat her up while he did so.
    About an hour later, Ed came in.
    “Mr. Harrison,” she said. “How may I help you?”
    Ed sat down in the chair next to her desk.
    “Are you busy?” he asked.
    “Terribly,” she said, as she shuffled some papers.
    “I just wanted to apologize for you finding out about Eve
the way you did,” he said. “I was as surprised as you were, just earlier in the
day. I did try to reach you.”
    “So you hooked up in Atlanta this past March, and she’s just
now letting you know she’s pregnant,” Claire said. “Any reason why she waited
so long to tell you?”
    “She didn’t want to deal with it,” he said. “It was an
accident; she thought the contraceptive she was on would prevent that. I guess
nothing’s one hundred percent.”
    “And it’s for sure yours?”
    “She said it was, based on the timing,” Ed said, “and I believe
her. She didn’t realize she was pregnant until she was too far along to do
anything about it. She’s never wanted children, so it’s been traumatic for
her.”
    “Poor lamb.”
    “I am sorry,” Ed said. “She’s asked me to stand by her and I
said I would. I couldn’t do anything less.”
    “Of course not,” Claire said. “I wish you both well.”
    “We’re not getting back together,” Ed said. “We’re going to
see this pregnancy through, and then after an appropriate amount of time
passes, we’ll get divorced.”
    “Appropriate in what context?”
    “Eve’s getting more high profile assignments now that her
career’s heating up,” Ed said. “She can’t afford a scandal right now. She
doesn’t want it to be made into a tabloid thing, but she’s made enemies at just
about every tabloid. I know it seems shallow and self-serving, but she’s worked
so hard to build her career, and something like this, if spun the wrong way,
could destroy everything.”
    “It may be better family values for the minivan demographic
if she says it’s her husband’s child, but is it the truth?”
    “I’m choosing to believe her.”
    “And what about the kid? What about afterward?”
    “We haven’t discussed that yet.”
    “Hadn’t you better?”
    “I just found out yesterday, Claire. Today she’s working.
I’m sure we’ll iron out all the details as we have time to do so.”
    Claire’s head still hurt and she was the grouchiest she’d
felt in a long time.
    “All right,” she said. “Consider me informed.”
    “The timing could not be worse as far as you and I are
concerned.”
    “We’re just friends,” Claire said. “Besides, you’re married
to her.”
    “I heard you got a little drunk last night.”
    “Ix-nay on the ossip-gay,” Claire said. “If we are to remain
friends, we must agree never to speak of last night.”
    “Fair enough,” Ed said. “I guess you heard about Diedre
Delvecchio.”
    “I heard Marigold’s virtually accused Kay of murder.”
    “She better be careful,” Ed said. “That could backfire on
her.”
    “Do you know anything about hoarding?”
    “No,” Ed said. “I’ve never been in their house, but I hear
it’s bad.”
    After Ed left, Claire sent an email to a makeup artist who
worked for one of the morning news shows in New York. Claire had helped her get
started in the business so the woman owed her a favor. What Claire wanted was
information, and she was pretty sure this woman could get it for her.
    After that she did some Internet research on hoarding. She
also remembered what Pudge Postlethwaite had said about Diedre going to yard
sales and flea markets. She made some notes in case she ran