“What the hell, Thorn? You know I like to yell at employees first thing in the morning.”
“We don’t have time for you to yell at Mrs. Penny. Sesame told Tommy she was going shopping in Hershey today, and Mrs. Penny tailed her to the train station, where she and Wilhelm just got on a train to Manhattan.”
“Maybe she’s having an affair with Wilhelm,” he suggested.
“I don’t think so.” There was something genuine about the affection between Sesame and Tommy.
Nick perked up and looked hopeful for a second. “Maybe she’s looking for an apartment in the city so they can move out of our house.”
“Or maybe she’s still lying to everyone,” she pointed out.
Nick grumbled under his breath. “Fine. I’ll talk to Tommy, but if she is getting it on with her limo driver, you’re the one who has to mop up his tears.”
29
8:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 29
Nick’s plans for talking Riley back into bed for some lazy morning sex had evaporated.
He blamed Mrs. Penny. And Sesame. And Tommy, who was probably too stupid to know that his own wife was screwing the limo driver.
“You know,” he said, slinging his arm around Riley’s shoulders as they headed back to the kitchen. “Sooner or later, everyone is going to move out, and we’ll have the house to ourselves.”
She gave him a pitying look. “Sure we will,” she said, patting him on the arm.
“I’m serious, Thorn. When these two are out of here, I’m putting in a moat and a security system that will electrocute anyone who tries to ring the doorbell before eleven a.m.”
He was thinking about moats and piranhas and if piranhas could survive Pennsylvania winters when the doorbell rang. “See? Whoever that is would be toast right now.”
Riley rolled her eyes and started for the front door.
“I’ll get it,” Tommy announced from the kitchen.
He appeared in the foyer with Burt on his heels.
“I’ll get it. Nick wants to talk to you,” she said and gave him a helpful shove toward Tommy.
“Oh, sure,” Tommy said eagerly. “Do you want some eggs Benedict? I just whipped up a fresh batch of hollandaise.”
Nick did like eggs Benedict. But he came to a halt when Riley answered the door to the beefy suit on the front porch.
“I’m lookin’ for Sesame and Tommy Hemsworth,” the stranger announced.
The guy was at least six feet, six inches tall, and his shoulders filled out the suit jacket like he was wearing the protective padding of a defensive end. He had a shaved head and a scar that went through his upper lip.
Tommy’s knees were knocking together loud enough that it sounded like a drummer keeping time.
Nick shoved him backward through the swinging kitchen door before their hulky visitor could spot him.
“Uh, Nick?” Riley called, sounding nervous.
He and Burt headed for the front door and planted themselves between Riley and the stranger.
“Who are you?” Nick demanded.
“I have some important papers for Sesame and Tommy Hemsworth.”
“You a process server?” Nick asked.
