She finished her own coffee and got up. Whether or not he meant that to apply specifically to her, now seemed like a good time to break off the conversation.
“Thanks for telling me what you found out, Roy.” She put both of their cups on the tray and picked it up. “If you guys find out anything else about Susan, please let me know.”
She smiled firmly, and he stood too.
“Thanks for the coffee, Annie. If we get any breakthroughs on the notes, I’ll buzz you.” He gave her one of his ever-present grins. “And if you feel like company, you know where to find me.”
She smiled and waved as he drove away. Peggy had been right from the start about his not being able to take a hint. Annie didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but he was certainly single-minded when he wanted to be. She’d have to keep her distance for a while.
****
The next meeting of the Hook and Needle Club renewed Annie’s resolve to distance herself from Officer Hamilton. She had just taken her seat and started on her woefully neglected crochet when Gwen and Peggy converged on her.
“So?”
Gwen’s blue eyes sparkled in anticipation, but Peggy frowned.
“I told her it’s ridiculous, Annie, but she won’t believe me.”
Annie looked from one to the other. “Believe what?”
“You know.” Gwen smirked. “You can’t keep these things secret forever.”
Annie stopped her work, placing her sweater-to-be in a multi-colored heap in her lap. “What are you two talking about?”
“I told her you and Roy don’t have a romance going on.”
“Peggy!”
Peggy shrugged. “She won’t listen.”
Annie turned to Gwen. “Listen.”
“I don’t mean I think you’re getting married tomorrow or anything. But it just seems to me, from what I’ve heard and with Roy talking about you all the time, there just might be a little something …” Gwen raised her eyebrows.
Annie glanced at Alice, who held both hands up. “It didn’t come from me. I wouldn’t wish him on anybody.”
Annie pressed her lips together. She couldn’t tell them about the notes she had gotten. “Look, Gwen, whatever you’ve heard and whoever you’ve heard it from is wrong. I’m still trying to find out about Susan Morris. Chief Edwards’ office is helping me. That’s all there is between Roy and me. That’s all, got it?”
Gwen looked down at the thick sock she was knitting. “Got it. Though I don’t know why it would be such a bad thing. He seems like a nice guy.”
“Well, he’s all yours, if you don’t think your husband will mind.”
Gwen chuckled, and Annie’s expression softened.
“Roy’s all right, Gwen, but I’m just not interested in him.”
“Yeah, OK. So, you’re still trying to find out something about Susan?”
“Trying. I guess everybody knows by now that Susan drowned over twenty years ago.” Annie glanced at Peggy, who ducked her head and concentrated on her appliqué. “I was hoping Stella would tell me more about Susan’s fiancé today, since she knew his family. Where is she, anyway?”
“She and Edie Borman had to go meet with somebody in Portland about donations to the Cultural Center,” Mary Beth said, “but she’ll be at the meeting next week, I’m sure.”
“That’s OK. I can talk to her at the banquet. Did you decide what you’re going to bring?”
With that, the talk turned to the coming festivities, and to Annie’s relief, away from Roy Hamilton. She was glad the meeting wound up without anyone mentioning him again, but he was still on her mind when she walked across Main Street to the hardware store where she’d parked her car.
He was talking about her all the time now? Enough to make people think there was something between them? She’d definitely have to do something to dispel that notion. Piqued, she flung open her car door and leaned down to toss her purse and tote into the passenger seat.
When she straightened, she found herself face-to-face with Tom Maxwell.
14
Annie was speechless for a moment and then managed an uncertain smile. “Hello, Mr. Maxwell. Excuse me, I didn’t see you there.”
He narrowed his dark eyes at her. “You don’t pay attention real good, do you?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I said, if you’d pay a little better attention, you’d save yourself a lot of trouble.”
She glanced around. There were a few people on the street, not close, but within shouting distance.
She swallowed hard. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I mean—” He glanced around, too, and then lowered his voice. “I mean that I would prefer that you leave my wife alone. She doesn’t like company, and she doesn’t want you coming around bothering her all the time. Is that clear enough, or do I need to write it all out for you?”