Chapter 3
Amy handed Jenifer her perfectly made tea. Personally, she had no idea how the woman could drink such a weak brew, but she always insisted on a tea bag over tea brewed in the tea pot.
“Thank you, dear.”
Brandon walked into the kitchen like he was walking into a minefield. His movements were slow, cautious, and his gaze darted from Jenifer, to their neighbour, Danielle and then to Ed, Georgie and Lara. Poor guy. It couldn’t be easy.
“Brandon Stokes, I can barely believe my eyes,” Jenifer shrieked and stood, placing both hands on his arms and studying him with an intensity that made Amy squirm. Brandon had more control, no squirming for him, but his entire body twitched the minutest amount, before he casually answered, “How are you, Mrs Fredericks?”
Wow. The warmth in his tone hid his tension, but it was there. The casual observer might miss it, but Amy had learnt the art of reading people when she’d drifted from place to place as a teen. It had kept her from making some bad decisions.
“Oh, you’re too old for such formalities,” Mrs Fredericks said. “Call me Jenifer. Now take a seat and tell me what’s kept you from Retribution Bay for so long.”
His mouth narrowed for a split second and he shifted backwards.
Their neighbour, Danielle, who was of the same generation as Beth and Jenifer, perked up with interest. Amy winced as she exchanged a glance with Ed. Now wasn’t the time for dirty laundry. “Would you like a scone, Jenifer?”
“No thanks, dear. Got to watch my waistline. I’m not as active as Beth.” Her face fell and her bottom lip trembled. She cleared her throat. “You know what I mean.”
Amy squeezed her shoulder. “We do. Tea, Brandon?”
“Please, and I’ll have a scone if there are any spare.”
“They’re fresh out of the oven.” She gave him the scone she’d offered Jenifer and then poured the last of the tea from the teapot.
“Mum’s recipe?” he asked.
“Of course. She taught Ed and me how to make them when he was last here.”
“I told her I was desperate for something decent to eat in Perth and she took pity on me,” Ed added.
The scone recipe was a family secret and Amy had felt blessed to receive it. She’d sworn an oath never to tell a soul. She smiled at the memory. Beth had always done little things like that to make a moment special, or to include Amy.
Brandon sat at the far end of the table, close to Georgie and Lara, away from their guests. Not to be deterred, Jenifer plopped into the spare seat next to him.
Damn. They hadn’t distracted her enough. Amy filled the kettle ready for a new pot of tea, and said to Jenifer, “Thank you for bringing the casserole.”
“You just tell me what you need.” Jenifer turned to Brandon. “Have you decided on a date for the funeral?”
He glanced at Georgie. “Not yet. We need to find a celebrant.”
“I’m going to make a few phone calls as soon as I’ve finished my tea,” Georgie said. “Do you know who I should call?”
“I’ll ask a couple of friends,” Jenifer replied.
“Do you need a hand on the station?” Danielle asked.
Brandon looked completely lost by the question. This time it was Matt who saved him as he strolled into the kitchen. “Not right now, Danielle,” he said. “Darcy and I have a plan, but we’ll call you if something comes up.”
“Matt, do you want some tea?” Georgie asked, standing.
“No thanks, Freckles. I need to check some fences.”
Amy bundled some biscuits in with a couple of bottles of water and handed the insulated bag to Matt.
“Thanks, Ames.”
When she turned back to the table, Brandon was staring at her, a grief-stricken expression on his face. What had she done? “Are you all right?” she asked quietly.
