Girls' Night Out Murder (Ryli Sinclair 2) Read Online Free Page A

hours.”
    Paige groaned. “Please tell me your aunt will be on her best
behavior and won’t do anything stupid this week?”
    I gave her my best “get real” stare. “You do remember who
we’re talking about, right?”
    “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
    I took another drink. “I’m a little worried about her,
though.”
    “Why?”
    I looked down at the comforter on my bed, contemplating my words.
“I can’t really explain it. Sometimes I think Aunt Shirley is giving up. When
she talks about the “good ole days” now, it’s not always with laughter…sometimes
it’s with sadness. As though she’s coming to grips with the fact the best part
of her life is over.”
    “That’s so sad.”
    “I know. I just don’t want to see her give up. I wish there
was something she could do. Like a way she could use her talents at snooping
and asking questions to help others.”
    Paige laughed. “A way for her to use her powers for good and
not evil?”
    “Exactly! But what could she do?”
    We finished our drinks and changed into our pajamas. Both of
us were thinking about Aunt Shirley and the upcoming week. I had no idea the
storm that was about to blow in. If I had, I’d have curled up right there in
that bed and never left.

Chapter 4

 
    “Are you two lazy twits gonna sleep the day away? We’re
ready to rock and roll!”
    I groaned and tried to roll over on my side. Unfortunately,
Aunt Shirley was sitting on my blanket so that wasn’t happening. Realizing it
was useless to fight, I sighed and opened my eyes.
    “What?” I snapped. Usually I’m a morning person…just not
when I’m with Aunt Shirley.
    “Can you two please quiet down,” Paige moaned from her bed.
    “C’mon.” Aunt Shirley patted my shoulder twice. “You’ve got
about twenty minutes and then we’re leaving for the store. We’ve already had
breakfast. You two will have to hope for free samples at the grocery store.”
    “Oh, goody…mystery samples for breakfast,” I grumbled.
    The ride to the grocery store was thankfully quiet. Mom and Bea
decided to stay back so they could start on the list of food they wanted solely
for the day of the wedding. Our job was to pick up supplies and food to last the
week. I guess Mom and Bea didn’t trust us enough to get food for the
wedding…not that I could blame them. I didn’t exactly have the cooking gene.
That seemed to have slipped through my DNA somehow.
    Believe it or not, the grocery store in Cavern Beach is
twice the size of the one we have in Granville. Since the towns are comparable
in size, I guess the fact Cavern Beach sits on one of the largest lakes in
Missouri makes it a necessity.
    “Should we split up so this goes faster?” Mindy asked as we
walked through the entrance of the store.
    “I know what I want,” Aunt Shirley said, making a beeline
for the liquor department.
    I grabbed ahold of her sleeve. “Get back here. You’re not
getting out of shopping that easily.”
    “What? I’m an old woman. I can’t be running around this big
ole store getting lots of groceries. My hip will start hurting, my mind will —”
    “Forget it,” I sighed. “Not worth it, anyway. The three of
us will get food, you get your booze.”
    “Well, if you’re sure…” Aunt Shirley took off like her ass
was on fire—so much for her bad hip. She grabbed a cart, plopped her oversized
purse down, and practically skipped to the booze aisle.
    We watched in horror as she knocked over a preteen kid who’d
had the audacity to accidentally block access to the entrance of the liquor
section.
    “I’m a little worried about the amount of alcohol your aunt
is drinking,” Paige said.
    Mindy chuckled. “Oh, I suspect she’s been that way forever.
She’s just used to hiding it. Now she doesn’t feel she has to.”
    Shaking my head at her childish antics, we quickly divvied up
the grocery list and went our separate ways. Since the girls know I don’t cook,
they decided they’d get the filler