In Good Hands: Book 5 Georgie B. Goode Gypsy Caravan Cozy Mystery (11 page)

“Georgie.”

At the sound of her father’s voice, she switched her attention to him.

“I just want to say to everyone here,” he said, “that if it hadn’t been for Georgie, things might have been much worse. She put things together just in time…with the help of her friends.” His gaze included Scott, Layla and Tammy, who was sitting close to Jerry. “I know she’s sad right now, because she’s lost a trailer that was more than just accommodation on the road. It was home, and it meant something.”

“Caravan,” Georgie managed. “Gypsy
caravan.”

He nodded. “Gypsy caravan. But we’ll replace it, Georgie. Just the same as it was, or better than ever. I promise you that.”

“Thanks, Dad.” She nodded at him, but her lip trembled. “But Rosa’s crystal ball…”

His face changed. “Oh, Georgie girl—it slipped my mind, in all this. It’s in good hands: Rosa has it.”

His words finally made the tears spill over. “Rosa?”

“She told me last night to fetch it for her. I meant to tell you.”

Georgie swiped at her eyes, and the tremendous sense of relief made her shoulders slump. Of course her great-grandmother would sense that something was wrong, even if all she knew was that she had to get hold of that crystal ball.

“Anyway, things will be messy for a while, as the investigation proceeds. It will be a while before Courtney Glover is in any condition to be interviewed further.” He managed a grim kind of smile at Jaxx.” “Ms. Saxby and her team will be our guests as long as it takes, to finish the last few interviews and wrap things up.”

“And then,” Jaxx said, “we’ll have to head off to the next shoot, a little late, but that can’t be helped. I do need to organize a new motorhome, though.” She cast a speculative glance at Jerry, but averted her eyes quickly when she met Tammy’s unfriendly regard. “And find a new home for Trixxi.”

Scott stared at her. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve decided that it’s not a good idea to have a pet. I’m out on film shoots all day, and I can’t leave the motorhome unlocked, can I?” She sounded petulant. “Look what happened when I did it this time. Courtney not only had access to all my stuff, she tried to poison my
dog.
”

“What kind of home?” Scott said.

Jaxx shrugged. “I’ll put it on Facebook. There’ll be lots of people who’d want Jaxx Saxby’s dog.”

Georgie could feel Scott’s anger radiating. “No. You don’t know who might get her. I’ll take her.”

She looked taken aback. “
You?”

“Yeah,” he said, frowning at her. “Me. We’re mates.”

“And when he can’t take her with him,” Georgie added, “I’ll have him.”

“And so will I,” said Tammy. “She can be our mascot. People will love her.
And
we’ll look after her.”

“And if none of them can have her,” put in Georgie’s dad, “Angela and I will.”

Jaxx looked from face to face and wisely decided not to argue. Her gaze returned to Georgie. “All right,” she said. “I’ll leave the dog. But now that Courtney has been caught, Georgie, and it’s safe – how about that show? You’d be really good at it. I just know that it would be incredibly popular!”

“No, Jaxx.” Georgie held up a hand in a ‘stop’ gesture. “Not ever. It’s not going to happen.” Forcing herself to be polite, she added, “But thanks for asking.”

Jaxx shook her head and cast a look at the ceiling as though there might be an answer up there to why someone would say ‘no’ to such an opportunity. “I think you’ll regret it, but after going through a traumatic experience like this, I have a Plan B. I know
exactly
what it’s like to be a victim of crime, so that’s going to be my next TV series. Victims of Crime with Jaxx Saxby.” Another thought struck her. “Or maybe ‘Unsolved Mysteries’?” She opened both hands out wide. “You could all be in the very first episode. I thought I’d kick it off with my experience here, and then – ”

Georgie’s father interrupted her, which was probably a good thing before someone threw something at her. “Thank you, but I don’t think so. After we’ve wrapped up this, that will be it for us.”

Jaxx’s lips tightened, and her eyebrows drew together in a frown. She opened her mouth, but hastily closed it again when she met Johnny B. Goode’s frosty gaze. Nobody could do frosty better than Johnny when he was in the mood.

And he was definitely in the mood.

“That’s about all I wanted to say,” he said. “The police will be interviewing us and taking statements, so don’t go too far, and keep your phones with you. We’ll be finishing the final interviews for the show this afternoon and tomorrow. Now everyone go and get some rest.”

Georgie waited for the others to go, knowing that her father would wait too. He came up to her and enfolded her in a huge hug. “How are you, Georgie girl?”

“Alive,” she managed, dredging up a smile. “That’s got to be a plus.” She hugged him back, resting her cheek on his broad chest for a moment.

“Don’t you worry,” he said into her hair. “You’ll have exactly the same trailer...sorry,
caravan
. Or a better one. It’s in good hands.”

“I know.” She stepped back and patted him on the arm. “I didn’t have any doubt about that. It’s just unsettling to think that someone is so unbalanced that they would
do
this kind of thing.” Georgie looked outside, to where Scott stood waiting for her in the outer room, giving her some time with her father.

Scott and her dad… and her precious family and friends. She and her new gypsy caravan home on wheels were undoubtedly in good hands.

She had no doubts about that.

From the Author

I hope you have enjoyed the fifth book in the “Georgie” series., and meeting Jaxx and Trixxi! Stay tuned for Georgie’s next adventure... Meanwhile, if you can spare a few minutes of your time, I’d really appreciate an honest review on the book page.

Until next time!

Marg