The Postman Always Purls Twice by Anne Canadeo Page A

minivan.”
    â€œYou didn’t. You’re just pulling my leg again.”
    Suzanne stared straight ahead at the road and shrugged. “No, I didn’t. But I really wanted to,” she added, finally cracking a smile.
    Before Lucy could reply, she swung the big vehicle around a sharp turn Lucy hadn’t even noticed. They drove down on a narrow, private road, lined with tall grass and dunes. Lucy could tell they were heading toward the water, though she couldn’t see the beach yet.
    â€œIt’s about a mile or so more this way,” Suzanne told her. “Right on the water. Some famous architect designed it. Completely sustainable. Awesome curb appeal. The owners are traveling through Asia on business. They were thrilled to rent the place. They might want to put it on the market soon, and I’d get an exclusive listing. They can’t wait to see it in a movie.”
    Lucy was about to reply when she suddenly heard an approaching siren. Suzanne glanced in the rearview mirror, then quickly pulled to the shoulder of the road, nearly driving into the beach grass.
    â€œPolice car. I wasn’t speeding, was I?”
    The two women stared at each other a moment. But the blue-and-white cruiser sped by. Suzanne breathed a sigh of relief.
    â€œYou never know. These police officers have to meet their quota of tickets every month and they’ll pull you over for the slightest thing sometimes.”
    She pulled back onto the road and soon turned onto a new road that ran parallel with the water. Lucy’s jaw practically dropped, taking in the huge, fantastic properties.
    â€œWow . . . I don’t think I’ve driven down here lately,” she said.
    â€œThere’s been a lot of new construction. I’d love to sell one of these beach plums. Or even co-broke. That would be a year of college tuition. We just have to come up with . . . eleven more?”
    Suzanne laughed while Lucy silently did the math. With her daughter in high school and twin boys in middle school, Suzanne and her husband had a lot of tuition to cover. The sum was daunting. To say the least.
    â€œI’m hoping the couple who owns this house will decide to sell soon, or even rent. I think they’re relocating their business to New York.”
    â€œThat would be good for you,” Lucy agreed.
    â€œYes it would . . . .but not if the house burns down!” Suzanne’s optimistic musings suddenly took on a dire note. Her daydreamy smile melted into an expression of horror.
    Lucy followed her gaze down the road, to the sight of two fire trucks and an ambulance blocking their path. Along with the police cruiser that had just sped by.
    â€œIs that the house you rented to the movie company?”
    Suzanne nodded bleakly. “Unless another house is on fire and they just had to park there?”
    Unlikely, Lucy thought. Fire trucks generally tried to get as close as possible to the flames, didn’t they?
    But Lucy tried not to panic. When she turned to reassure her friend, Suzanne was driving with her face puckered up and her eyes squinched.
    â€œSuzanne . . . you can’t drive with your eyes shut, please!”
    â€œI know . . . but I don’t want to see.” She opened her eyes and stared straight ahead. “It is the house, Lucy. Look. There’s another fire truck sticking out of the driveway.” She pointed in that direction. “It’s a big piece of property. You can’t see the house from the road. But that’s the entrance of their private drive.”
    â€œMaybe it’s not that bad. It could be a little kitchen fire. A piece of burned toast could set off a smoke alarm connected to the fire department.”
    â€œThat’s true,” Suzanne agreed in a dull tone.
    â€œYou know how eager the volunteer firemen are around here. They send ten trucks out for the least little thing.”
    Suzanne nodded, then