“Suicide?”
Luke studied the lake. “Or an accidental overdose. Hard to be sure.”
“Hell of a shock, finding someone like that.”
Luke felt his jaw lock. He knew all too well what Jason was really thinking; what everyone else in the family would think when they found out what had happened. For the past six months they had all been growing increasingly worried about him. This business with Pamela Webb’s death was only going t larm them all the more.
“It was a lot harder on Irene,” he said quietly. “I never met Pamela Webb while she was alive. But Irene was close friends with her for a time back in high school.”
“And you just happened to be with Irene when she found her old friend?”
“Yes.”
“How did that come about, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“I got curious when I saw her leave the lodge late last night, so I followed her,” Luke said.
“Just like that, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“You do that a lot?” Jason asked cautiously.
“Do what?”
“Follow your guests around town?”
“No. Mostly I try to avoid the guests as much as possible. Most of them are a damned nuisance.”
“But not this one?”
“She’s a nuisance, too.” Luke drank some more coffee. “But she’s different.” Time to switch to another topic. “Why did you come up here today, Jase?”
” I told you, j ust wanted to see how things are going with you.”
“Try again.”
Jason made an impatient sound and swept out a hand to indicate the cabins and lobby of the Sunrise on the Lake Lodge. “Give me a break. The Old Man is right.
You don’t belong here. You’re no more cu ut to run a third-rate motel than I am.”
“I’m not cut out to work in the family business, either. Tried that, remember? It didn’t go well.”
“But that was because it got all mixed up with what was happening between you and Katy at the time,” Jason said, very earnest now. “Gordon and the Old Man want you to give it another chance.”
“Don’t think that would be a good idea,” Luke said.
“The Old Man is worried. So is everyone else.”
“I know that. There’s nothing I can do except keep telling you that I’m okay.”
“Mom and the Old Man are convinced that you’re sinking into a clinical depression because of what happened when you and Katy went away together.”
“I’m not depressed.”
“You keep saying that, but no one’s buying it.”
Luke raised his brows. “It’s a philosophical conundrum, isn’t it? How do I prove that I’m okay?”
“You could start by making an appointment with Dr. Van Dyke.”
“Forget it. Dr. Van Dyke is a very nice lady and no doubt an excellent shrink, but I don’t want to talk to her.”
“She’s an old friend of the family, Luke. It was perfectly natural that Mom and Dad would ask her for advice when they started to worry about you. She’s just suggesting that the two of you have a little chat, that’s all.”
“If I ever decide that I need that kind of help, I’ll give her a call.”
Jason settled deeper into his chair. “Told the Old Man this was a waste of time.”
“It was his idea for you to pay me a visit?”
“He thought maybe I could get through to you.”
“Had a feeling that might be it,” Luke said. “Consider the message delivered.”
“You’re coming back for his birthday, aren’t you?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Good. That’s important.”
“I know,” Luke said.
“Be prepared for a sales pitch on the wonderfulness of rejoining the company, though.”
“Forewarned is forearmed.” Luke started to take another swallow of coffee. The sound of a familiar car engine stopped him. “Damn.” He took his heels off the railing and got to his feet. “Now, where the hel s she going?”
Jason watched him, baffled. “Who?”
“Irene.” Luke crossed the porch and went down the steps.
“Wait up.” Jason launched himself up out of the chair and hurried after Luke.
“Where are we going?”
Luke didn’t answer. He rounded the side of the cabin, walked into the middle of the narrow lane and came to a halt directly in front of the yellow compact.
Irene was forced to stop. He went to stand at the window on the driver’s-side door, braced one hand on the low roof and leaned down to look at her.
She lowered the window and looked at him through the shield of her dark glasses.
“Something wrong?” she asked politely.
“Where are you headed?”
She reached up and removed the glasses with a slow, thoughtful air.
“You know, I’ve stayed in a wide variety of lodging establishments in my life, but this is the first tim ‘ve had to account for my comings and goings to the proprietor.”
“We do things a little differently here at the Sunrise on the Lake Lodge.”
“I’ve noticed.” She tapped the frames of the glasses against the steering wheel.
““Would that be the military way, by any chance?”
“That would be the Marine way, Miss Stenson,” Jason offered helpfully. “My brother just got out of the service a few months ago. You’ll have to make allowances. He’s still adjusting to civilian life.”
She nodded once, very crisply, as though the information confirmed some private conclusion she had already reached.
“That explains a lot.” She smiled at Jason and then gave Luke a considering look. “It crossed my mind that I owe you something for the considerable amount of inconvenience I caused you last night and this morning.”
“That right?” Luke asked.
“I was thinking that maybe I could repay you with an offer of a home-cooked meal this evening.”
That was the last thing he had been expecting.
“Boy, howdy,” Jason said enthusiastically. “Do you cook, Miss Stenson?”
” I’ll have you know that you are looking at the reporter who is single-handedly responsible for selecting every recipe that runs in the Recipe Exchange column of the Glaston Cove Beacon.”
Jason grinned. “Should I be impressed?”
“You would be more than impressed, you would be stunned speechless if you saw some of the recipes I’ve rejected. Trust me, you’re better off going through life never knowing what some people can d ith lime-flavored gelatin and red kidney beans.”