Slightly Psychic. Sandra Steffen
here?” she asked, joining Pepper on the porch. “Why aren’t you afraid?”
Pepper didn’t seem to know what to say.
“That’s what I thought,” Lila said. “Besides, you’re the one who told me I needed a project.”
Letting the quilt slip from her shoulders, Pepper said, “So take up knitting or go back to school. If anything happens to you, your mother is going to have me drawn and quartered.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to me.” Scooping up the quilt and handing it back to Pepper, Lila added, “You’re staying, then?”
Pepper followed her inside, muttering all the way to the kitchen where she topped off her coffee. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. It seems I’m, or rather, I’m not, um, let’s just say I’ve run into a little difficulty regarding my finances.”
“What sort of difficulty?”
Pepper pulled a face. “My family has cut me off.”
“You mean financially? What did they do? Freeze access to your trust fund? And you didn’t tell me?”
Sighing, Pepper said, “You have enough problems of your own. Besides, it’s only until I agree to assume my rightful place in the bowels of monotony. I told my grandfather not to hold his breath, and he told me to stop acting like a spoiled little heiress. At that point, I probably shouldn’t have reminded him that I’ve been taller than him since I was thirteen.”
Oh dear. Pepper’s grandfather had a very serious Napoleon complex. “He really froze access to your trust fund unless you do as he says?”
“And my dad’s backing him up. My mother doesn’t like it, but everyone knows Grandfather and Daddy run that show.”
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you need to, but I have to remind you I don’t have much money, either.”
“I know. I have a little money left in my emergency fund, but it’s going fast. This may sound drastic,” Pepper said, “But I think I’m going to have to get a job.”
“You’re going to go to work?”
“It isn’t as if I don’t want to work,” Pepper said, justifiably defensive. “It’s just that Kelly Rippa already has my dream job.”
Lila made a clicking sound with her tongue. “There is no justice. But don’t worry, we’ll think of something.” Suddenly this felt like old times, and she added, “We’re in for an interesting summer, there’s no doubt about that.”
“If we’re lucky,” Pepper said drolly, “we might even both live to tell about it.”
“I don’t believe in luck.”
“I know. You believe in destiny.” Pepper sipped her coffee thoughtfully. “If we’re destined to spend our summer here, we’re going to need more information about Noreen McCaffrey.”
We? Lila nudged her friend away from the coffeepot and helped herself to a cup.
Pepper’s expression was composed as she focused her attention on the situation. And Lila knew that even this early in the morning, Pepper was formulating a plan.
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