The Opposite of Dark

she’d managed to get in touch with.

“Hello? Anyone home?” Darcy’s raspy voice called out.

Too bad Rhonda had become more adept at opening doors than closing them.

“We’re in here,” Summer called back.

As Darcy entered the bedroom, he winked at Summer then turned to Casey. “Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to say bye before you left.”

Rhonda thought his raspy voice sounded seductive. Casey couldn’t stand it. “Thanks.”

“I’ll pack some peanut-butter cookies for you,” Summer said.

“That’d be awesome. And if I don’t get a chance to say this later, look after your mom, okay? I know you’ll do a good job.”

Summer grinned. “Three more months till I get a puppy.”

When Rhonda came down with the flu last December, Summer did a lot of cooking and cleaning. Rhonda had said if she was still acting responsibly by her birthday, she could have a dog.

After Summer left, Darcy said, “Rhonda really depends on you, doesn’t she?”

“We’ve known each other a long time.”

“I think all this family stuff you’ve been going through is getting to her. She talks about your mother a lot, claims the lady came from a family of greedy criminals.”

Crap, why had Rhonda brought that up? Casey stuffed socks into corners of the suitcase.

“Glad to hear of no criminal streak in you,” he added. “Know what I’m saying?”

“Not really.” What was his point? “If you’ll excuse me, I need to finish packing.” She shoved her red pumps in a plastic bag.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for in Europe.”

Had Rhonda told him about the murder too?

“I never knew my dad,” Darcy went on. “He took off when I was little.”

Question answered. Damn.

“Casey?” Summer called from the stairwell. “Lou’s pulling up.”

“Okay, I’ll be right down.”

“But then, I guess no one really knows anybody,” Darcy went on.

“Not true.” Casey looked at him. “Some people can see right through others.”

His unblinking eyes gazed at her through blue-tinted lenses. “Yeah, sure,” he said, chuckling on his way out the door.

Five minutes later, Casey carried her luggage downstairs and heard Summer chatting in the living room. She poked her head inside to find Lou listening to Summer complain about one of her swim practices. Casey gazed at the appliqued picture above the fire place. Dad had bought the piece for Rhonda at a craft show. The variety of stitching, thread, fabric, and wool had produced an astounding portrait of what Rhonda called her “Glamor Ladies.” In the scene, two well-dressed women stood at a bar. Both had their backs to the viewer, but one of them was looking at a man standing at the end of the bar. Casey wasn’t sure whether it was the color and texture or the image that was so provocative, but the picture always captured her attention.

When Summer finished talking, Lou noticed Casey and stood, “Ready to go?”

“As soon as I get the cookies Summer promised.”

“Oh, yeah.” Summer hurried out of the room.

Lou’s expression grew serious. “So, this is really happening?”

“Yes.”

He nodded. “Europe can be pretty lonely if you’re on your own.”

He would know. Right after she and Greg got married, Lou backpacked around Europe for six months.

“Wish I could go with you,” he added, “but I used all my holidays.”

Casey squeezed his arm. “You’re a good friend.”

“Ditto, so you’ll understand when I say that going alone is a bad idea.”

“Yeah, I understand.” She studied him a few moments. “Remember the part in The African Queen, when Bogart had to get into the water to move his boat? And when he climbed out, there were leeches all over him?”

“Are you saying you want me here in the swamp?”

“I’m saying I might need your help getting the leeches off me when I come home.”

He attempted a smile. “I can do that.”

“And I have another favor to ask.”

“Anything.”

Casey gripped his hand. In all the years she’d known this man, Lou had never let her down. Maybe Rhonda was right. Maybe she should give romance another chance, but with her best friend? She couldn’t stand the thought of losing him if things didn’t work out.

“Could you look in on Rhonda and Summer while I’m gone? Hang out with them maybe?”

“Are you worried about them?”

“Kind of. The new tenant’s been hovering around them since he’s been here,” she whispered, “ingratiating himself in their lives, and I’m getting a bad vibe. Darcy needs to know that someone else watches out for them besides me.”

Lou’s jaw tightened. “I want to meet this guy.”

“Not now, okay? I’ve got to be at the airport in thirty minutes. But could you stay at my place some nights and make your presence known?” She picked up her luggage and ushered Lou toward the kitchen. “Rhonda would love to cook for you.”

“No problem, I’ll be in the guy’s face.”

As they entered the kitchen, Summer handed Casey the cookie bag and Rhonda hung up the phone.

“Summer, how about you help Lou take my things to the truck? I need to talk to your mom a second.”

“Sure.”

When they were out of earshot, Casey said, “Lou’s going to stay at my place some nights—thought you might like the extra company.”

“Sure.” She picked up a dishcloth. “You know, I’ve been thinking that Marcus might have been planning on coming back to us.”

Good god. Where had that come from?

“That’s why he stayed in Vancouver,” Rhonda added. “He was waiting for his chance, only somebody didn’t want him returning to his old life so he, or she, killed him.”

Interesting theory, but Casey didn’t buy it.

“I can read your face,” Rhonda said. “You think I’m wrong.”

“I’d rather deal in facts.”

“You think Marcus didn’t love me enough to want to come back, don’t you?”

“I don’t think that at all.”

But given that Dad had been away so much during that last year, Casey had wondered if his love for Rhonda was as strong as Rhonda believed. They’d been friends since before Casey was born and grew closer after Dad threw Mother out. Rhonda had been the one to ask Dad out on an official date, and she was the one who’d proposed. Rhonda had described how they’d been having the time of their lives at a restaurant, eating lobster, drinking champagne, and before she knew it she’d popped the question. She didn’t have a ring, so she gave Dad her copper bracelet, but Casey hadn’t seen Dad wear it often.

“Rhonda, I should get go—”

“God, sometimes you’re so much like Lillian.”

What the hell was bringing all this on? Rhonda knew comparisons to Mother infuriated her because they were partly true. Hard as Casey tried, certain traits couldn’t be banished. There was a big difference, though, between manipulating situations to expose truths and manipulating situations to hide them.

“Come outside.” Casey stepped onto the back porch and glanced at the kitchen to make sure Darcy wasn’t nearby. “Darcy sure seems attracted to you.”

Rhonda grinned. “I don’t know why a young stud would waste time on a pudgy middle-aged divorcee, but I’m enjoying the attention.”