Sweet Gone South Read Online Free Page B

been standing very close to him, her head might have brushed his chin and he was 6’2".
    Carrie had always claimed he was a pushover for long legs — claimed she could tell by watching him when they were at the beach. She would laugh and say he could look at those Amazons all he wanted — that she knew he loved her in spite of her short legs. She was right about one thing. He had loved her, though not in spite of or because of anything. He still did.
    Lanie opened the door at the end of the hall that ran between the two apartments. “This is the balcony.” She gestured to some covered patio furniture and empty flower boxes. “I keep it nice during good weather, though it’s not at its best right now.”
    Luke stepped out on the lacy wrought iron balcony and was astounded at what he
didn’t
see. He’d expected what one usually found in the space between backdoors of businesses — alleys, dumpsters, weedy gravely parking places. Instead, the alleys were bordered by brick walls, adorned with lantern-shaped lights. In between was a little park with benches, picnic tables, and a wooden castle play set comprised of swings, slides, and climbing bars. The backdoors of the businesses across the alley from Heavenly Confections, as well as those down the street, all had neat pleasing appearances with balconies — all wrought iron like Lanie’s, but different in style and color. If he bent over the rail, he could see the parking pad Lanie had mentioned.
    “This is a surprise,” Luke said.
    Lanie seemed pleased that he had noticed. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? It was part of the Downtown Revitalization Committee’s plans. They also encouraged storeowners to restore the apartments above their businesses and most everyone in town did. Most hadn’t been used since the 1950s. I think I have the last vacant one.”
    “Do all the businesses on this block have apartments?”
    “Not all.” She pointed next door to Kincaid Insurance. “Mr. Kincaid had already turned his upstairs space into storage and an employee lounge, but he redid the back of the building in keeping with the rest of us.” She pointed across the alley. “That’s Miss Annelle’s interior design shop. She did it in an art deco style and liked it so much that she moved from her house up there. You know my friend Lucy Mead? That’s her niece. She lives in Miss Annelle’s house now.”
    Lanie moved to lean on the rail. Luke wanted to tell her not to lean there but caught himself.
    “Byron Masters lives above Creekview books and some newlyweds just moved in above Jack and Jill Children’s Shop. I don’t know them yet.” She pointed down the block. “The Lemon Tree — that’s a gift shop — had some plumbing problems. They aren’t finished yet. Anyway. Our block was the only one that had room for a pocket park and we’re very proud of it. The Garden Club keeps up the flowers and Rotary had the castle custom made. I’m sure your little girl would love it.”
    “Is the park safe?” Luke asked.
    “Safe?” Lanie looked at him like he’d grown another head. “As in, are there shootouts and drug deals?”
    “It’s a valid question.”
    “Not to my knowledge, though Justin Eubanks went down the slide backwards last week and didn’t come to a good end. It took a piece of fudge and a raspberry lemon lollipop to make him happy again.”
    If she saw what came across his desk, she wouldn’t be so cavalier — though he had to admit Merritt was pretty mild compared to Mobile.
    A cold gust of wind whipped Lanie’s apron around her knees and she shivered and stepped back inside.
    Luke inspected the lock on the balcony door. He didn’t like what he saw. “Will you install a deadbolt on this door? About here?” He pointed to a place, even with his head. “Out of child reach?”
    Lanie nodded. “If you decide to take the place, I’ll get someone over to do that.”
    The hallway was clean but nothing special, with a concrete floor. “Would it be