“I’m as thrilled as you are. You really don’t know?”
She took her glasses off again and stretched her eyes.
“You were hardly there. Some of those kids were lifers, you know? You were there for what, a few months?”
“Long enough,” I replied through clenched teeth.
“Regardless,” she said, waving a hand like none of it mattered. “There are plenty of people I’d have thought it would be left to before you.”
Herself included, I was sure.
“And you can’t find out who it was?”
“Clause of anonymity in the will,” I forced out. “But I’m here to figure it out, so I can give it back.”
Miss Lissy finished her coffee. “I can look into it. Still got strings.”
I didn’t doubt that.
Relief prickled as she folded the newspaper, tucking it under her arm and stood.
“On one condition. You visit me. Once a week. Every week you’re here.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Why?”
She placed her palms on the table, leaning in. “Because it thrills me to catch up with old friends. Plus, I’d love an outsider’s perspective on the comings and goings of the town.”
There it was.
“We were never friends,” I said, unable to stop myself.
“Take it or leave it,” she shrugged.
I looked out at the daycare. A kid waved. I waved back without thinking.
“I don’t have all day, Miss Walls. And if you’re desperate enough to track me down, I’d say your time’s limited.”
She checked the watch hanging loosely on her bony wrist.
I sighed. “Fine. But I don’t plan on being here long, so I’m not sure how useful I’ll be.”
She tore a corner from the newspaper, scribbled an address, and slid it over.
“I don’t need long,” she said, striding off.
I didn’t want to think about what that meant. I was an adult. She had to be at least sixty now. I could snap her hollow-cheeked ass in half if I needed to.
“Thanks, Miss Lissy,” I called in the sing-song tune she’d forced us to use as children.
“It’s Liss,” she called back.
Did I just agree to visit Miss Lissy at her house?
I sat until my coffee went cold.
Walking past the counter, I saw Olivia drop a loyalty card. It fluttered name side up, and I tried to pick it up for her, but she snatched it back.
At least she was an avenue I could investigate further. I forced myself to acknowledge that I had more to go on now than I’d had an hour ago. Somewhere to start.
