Garage Sale Stalker (Garage Sale Mysteries) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Suzi Weinert
grateful to test it out, she knew it risky for Seller to allow a stranger into her house unsupervised! Jennifer posed no problem, but others might. How could Seller know the difference? Should she share this thought or keep it to herself?
When the toaster popped its imaginary bread to the surface, she wrapped the cord around one hand and, gripping the appliance by the handles, hurried back outside.
“Thanks so much for letting me try it. It works perfectly. I’ll take it.” Jennifer fished $4.00 from the purse fastened around her waist, paid Seller and then hesitated as several customers pressed forward to pay for their items.
Shielding her words from the others with a cupped hand, Jennifer whispered to Seller, “I just want to mention that it’s probably not a good idea to let anyone into your house unless you or someone you trust is there. Good luck and I hope you do really well today.
Seller’s startled gaze followed Jennifer down the driveway to her car, before other Buyers jostled forward, demanding check-out attention. Now she probably wonders if I took something— the messenger never wins, Jennifer thought! Still, the woman needed warning…
Jumping into her van, gunning the motor and simultaneously glancing at the notebook on the seat beside her, Jennifer placed a finger on the ad listing her next stop. Two garage sales on the same street and only a few minutes from her current location. As the SUV‘s motor roared to life, she executed a remarkably close U-turn and sped down the street.
Jennifer’s mind wandered as she drove, thinking that behind every garage sale lay a story. At the last house, the story was doubly unfortunate—an obviously painful divorce and a sorely needed, if poorly executed, sale of belongings. Jennifer sincerely hoped happiness lay somewhere in Seller’s future.
But what was happiness anyway? If you couldn’t achieve it in privileged and affluent McLean, Virginia, where the heck could you? The third world’s desperate poor who scrabbled in gritty poverty for daily survival surely imagined if they lived in safe and beautiful homes with plenty to eat they’d be happy forever. Yet she knew from newspaper accounts and neighborhood stories that the full gamut of crime—domestic abuse, child neglect, fraud, theft, arson and even murder—surfaced right here against McLean’s backdrop of comfort and wealth!
She sighed as her thoughts turned again to the last Seller. If fifty percent of today’s marriages ended in divorce, what future did that suggest for her five grown children, three of whom already had spouses? And what of the ups and downs in her own forty-year marriage to Jason?
Thinking of his familiar craggy face, balding head and warm grin, she smiled and then chuckled aloud as she drove. Somehow, they’d survived those frenetic early years together, enduring each other’s foibles, building Jason’s business and raising a big family. Now they found themselves sharing a particularly comfortable time with each other and with the life they’d shaped together.
As the congesti on of parked cars just ahe ad signaled her upcoming destination, she pushed aside her thoughts to concentrate on finding a place to wedge her crossover. Since every sale reflected a story, what tale would unfold at this next stop?
CHAPTER 3
J ennifer maneuvered her car smoothly into an opening among the vehicles clustered in front of the next sale. The later on a Saturday morning, the more Buyers are awake and on the prowl! Knowing that choice stuff sells fast, she jumped out and hustled up the driveway.
An entirely different scenario here—these Sellers were NOT novices. The two of them seemed relaxed as they looked out confidently over their well organized, pre-priced merchandise.
Jennifer dodged through the large crowd of buyers to approach the comfortably seated sellers. “What a lot of effort you’ve put into getting ready for this!”
“You’re so right! We’re recently married
When the toaster popped its imaginary bread to the surface, she wrapped the cord around one hand and, gripping the appliance by the handles, hurried back outside.
“Thanks so much for letting me try it. It works perfectly. I’ll take it.” Jennifer fished $4.00 from the purse fastened around her waist, paid Seller and then hesitated as several customers pressed forward to pay for their items.
Shielding her words from the others with a cupped hand, Jennifer whispered to Seller, “I just want to mention that it’s probably not a good idea to let anyone into your house unless you or someone you trust is there. Good luck and I hope you do really well today.
Seller’s startled gaze followed Jennifer down the driveway to her car, before other Buyers jostled forward, demanding check-out attention. Now she probably wonders if I took something— the messenger never wins, Jennifer thought! Still, the woman needed warning…
Jumping into her van, gunning the motor and simultaneously glancing at the notebook on the seat beside her, Jennifer placed a finger on the ad listing her next stop. Two garage sales on the same street and only a few minutes from her current location. As the SUV‘s motor roared to life, she executed a remarkably close U-turn and sped down the street.
Jennifer’s mind wandered as she drove, thinking that behind every garage sale lay a story. At the last house, the story was doubly unfortunate—an obviously painful divorce and a sorely needed, if poorly executed, sale of belongings. Jennifer sincerely hoped happiness lay somewhere in Seller’s future.
But what was happiness anyway? If you couldn’t achieve it in privileged and affluent McLean, Virginia, where the heck could you? The third world’s desperate poor who scrabbled in gritty poverty for daily survival surely imagined if they lived in safe and beautiful homes with plenty to eat they’d be happy forever. Yet she knew from newspaper accounts and neighborhood stories that the full gamut of crime—domestic abuse, child neglect, fraud, theft, arson and even murder—surfaced right here against McLean’s backdrop of comfort and wealth!
She sighed as her thoughts turned again to the last Seller. If fifty percent of today’s marriages ended in divorce, what future did that suggest for her five grown children, three of whom already had spouses? And what of the ups and downs in her own forty-year marriage to Jason?
Thinking of his familiar craggy face, balding head and warm grin, she smiled and then chuckled aloud as she drove. Somehow, they’d survived those frenetic early years together, enduring each other’s foibles, building Jason’s business and raising a big family. Now they found themselves sharing a particularly comfortable time with each other and with the life they’d shaped together.
As the congesti on of parked cars just ahe ad signaled her upcoming destination, she pushed aside her thoughts to concentrate on finding a place to wedge her crossover. Since every sale reflected a story, what tale would unfold at this next stop?
CHAPTER 3
J ennifer maneuvered her car smoothly into an opening among the vehicles clustered in front of the next sale. The later on a Saturday morning, the more Buyers are awake and on the prowl! Knowing that choice stuff sells fast, she jumped out and hustled up the driveway.
An entirely different scenario here—these Sellers were NOT novices. The two of them seemed relaxed as they looked out confidently over their well organized, pre-priced merchandise.
Jennifer dodged through the large crowd of buyers to approach the comfortably seated sellers. “What a lot of effort you’ve put into getting ready for this!”
“You’re so right! We’re recently married
Readers choose
M. G. Vassanji
Asher Neal
DeAnne Cherry
Terry Towers
James Patterson
Cara McKenna
Davy Rothbart
Margery Allingham
Ron Hansen