Gary tried the knob. “I would, but the door is locked.”
“June,” Camille ordered, “get up and unlock the door. Hurry. We don’t want to keep Gary waiting.”
June wasn’t sure why seeing the police detective and former neighbor made her mother so happy. She was just glad to see a genuine smile on Camille’s face.
Quickly unlocking the screen door, June stepped aside to let the detective inside. It was then she saw the baking pan he held in his hands.
“Lynn and I and the kids are next door at my mom’s. She asked if I’d return this to you.” Gary placed the pan on a side table. “She wanted me to tell you thanks for letting her use it.”
“It was my pleasure.” Camille motioned to the sofa, where June had sat only moments earlier. “Please, sit for a spell. Can June get you something to drink?”
“I’m fine.” Gary took a seat on the sofa.
June resumed her seat on the other end. “You and Lynn are visiting your mom?”
“Us and the kids. My dad got an award in church this morning, and the whole family turned out. Aunts, uncles, cousins, as well as my brothers and sisters.” Gary shook his head. “Chaos on steroids.”
“You’ve been blessed with a lovely family,” Camille told him, her tone wistful.
“I have, and I don’t take a minute of it for granted.” The sound of an engine revving had Gary frowning. “I told Dennis he could take the Chevy for a short drive, not beat it.”
Camille inclined her head. “Dennis is the cousin who is your age, right? The car-crazy one?”
June watched the interaction with interest, content to be the silent observer. Seeing her mom interested in and interacting with another person stilled some of her worries.
“He’s actually a couple years older than me. Though, because of when his birthday is and being held back in third grade, he was in the same class as Aubrey and me.”
“When he’d come over to see you back then, he would have his car radio turned up so loud, I could hear it inside the house.” Camille’s eyes turned dark, as if she was looking back. “Aubrey accused me of being an old fuddy-duddy when I complained.”
“I can’t imagine Aubrey saying anything like that to you.” Gary smiled. “You and she were always so close.”
As if realizing they’d both been ignoring June, Gary shifted to face her. In his jeans and T-shirt, Gary looked more like the boy she remembered while growing up next door to his family than a police detective and father of two.
“How are things with you, June?”
“Good.” June thought of Cameron, and her lips curved. “I’m enjoying being back in Denver.”
“June went to a party last night.” Camille waved an airy hand. “A political thing.”
Gary inclined his head. “I didn’t realize you were interested in politics.”
“I’m interested in Denver’s future.” Not wanting to leave it at that, June went on to explain. “It was a fundraiser for Anson Hawkins.”
Gary’s gaze sharpened. He knew she’d yet to cross Anson off the list of party guests she wanted to talk to about the night of Aubrey’s death. “How was it?”
“I met lots of new people there.” Conscious of her mother only a couple of feet away and not wanting to get into a discussion of the accident, June kept her tone offhand. “I met both Anson and Deron Flock.”
The merest flicker of Gary’s eyelashes told June he recognized Deron as another name on the list. “Sounds like a party of Denver’s elite. Where was it?”
“At Ross and Marjean Driskill’s home.”
Gary let out a low whistle. “Is the inside every bit as impressive as the outside?”
“Every bit.”
Gary’s phone dinged, and he glanced down. “Oops. Sounds like I’m wanted next door.” He pushed to his feet and smiled at Camille. “It was so nice seeing you again, Mrs. Parker.”
“You come over anytime.” Camille rose. “I still believe you and my Aubrey were meant to be together.”