I tossed him a quick grin over my shoulder. “Thank you. I’ll send some home with you too.”
“Yum. That’s my lunch tomorrow.”
Filling another container, I put lids on both, then handed one to Claire.
She set it on the counter beside the deeds and the café renovation plans.
For several long moments, we stood in silence, the only sound the soft rustle of paper as I fussed with the deeds.
An image of Moira’s pretty face from the picture I’d seen in the newspaper floated through my mind’s eye. Her neat handwriting drew my attention. It stared back at me like a beacon, flashing a clue that had never seen the light of day until now. I could almost feel her presence, urging us to keep going—that we were on the right track.
Lifting the papers, I tapped them on the counter to line them up. “If you need backup when you show this stuff to Ozzie, give me a call. I know the timing isn’t ideal for him, but this can’t wait. Moira deserves justice.”
Claire took the papers and slid them into her satchel with a sigh. “Yeah. I just wish I’d discovered it earlier, or even tomorrow, so I don’t have to spring it on him so late.” An ironic smile twisted her lips. “Or that I was a better liar.”
“Nah,” Luke said. “I’d rather have a woman who springs important things on me when I’m tired than one who can lie to me to my face. I’m betting Ozzie feels the same.”
“True.” Flipping the flap over on her bag, Claire picked it up and slung it over her shoulder, then grabbed the stew container. “I’ll keep you guys posted.”
We followed her to the door, waving goodbye as she hurried down the driveway to her car. Once she was safely ensconced and pulling away, I closed the door and leaned against it.
What just happened? Had Claire really discovered a motive for Moira’s death?
“That was a little crazy,” Luke commented on his way back to the kitchen.
A quick chuckle escaped me. “Yeah, just a bit.” I eyed him, looking for that spark that lit earlier, before Claire arrived, but her revelations had chased away any romantic notions Luke and I had for the evening. It also felt wrong to just shove it all aside for the pleasure that surely awaited us if we continued where we left off.
I pushed away from the door and followed him. He reached for the renovation plans to gather them up.
“I should get going. We’ll get an early start tomorrow.”
The snort that left me wasn’t very ladylike. “If Ozzie gives me the keys now, you will.” Even if he didn’t need to go through the building again after learning about the deeds, I wouldn’t put it past him to hold onto the keys as a “punishment” for meddling in his case again.
“I wouldn’t worry about it. There isn’t anything new the police can look at, even with the new information. He’ll probably be more likely to show up at the coffeeshop in the morning and give you another lecture about sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. I’m sure Claire’s going to get the same talk tonight.” He grinned.
I chuckled. “Yeah.” I hoped he was right. This renovation needed to start. I was so ready.
Papers rolled up and tucked under his arm, Luke walked closer, then leaned down to give me a tender kiss.
My toes curled. So did my fingers as I clutched his shirt.
When he pulled back, the majority of my tension about how tomorrow would play out had melted away.
His soft smile and the sassy look in his eyes told me he knew what he’d been doing.
He kissed me once more, softly, then stepped back. “I’ll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams.” Heat flared in his eyes, turning them a molten silver.
A soft hum rumbled in my throat as thoughts of what his kisses promised rolled through my head. He’d wished me that same thing every night since our seafood and beach date. There had been some sweet dreams, indeed.
One day soon, though, I hoped to replace them with the real deal.
Warmth flooded my veins.
That day couldn’t come soon enough.
CHAPTER 17
Mina
