‘About eight months. I’m managing the place for a friend.’
I cast my memory back to who had owned the place when I’d lived here. ‘Cole Sullivan?’
Ray grunted. ‘You’re out of touch. Cole Sullivan died a few years ago.’
‘You’re joking.’
‘Why would I joke about that?’
‘He can’t have been that old,’ I said, shocked. ‘Maybe what, late fifties? I went to school with his kids. Gracie was one of my closest friends.’
‘Can’t be that close if you didn’t know her father had died,’ Ray said pointedly.
‘Well no, not any more. We lost touch after I left.’
‘You mean when you cut contact with everyone.’
I flashed him a warning look. ‘That’s not what happened.’
He made a sound that indicated he disagreed. I wasn’t about to argue with him about it in front of Jack, so I let it drop. ‘What happened to Cole?’
‘Heart attack,’ Ray replied. ‘Wasn’t that much of a surprise, the size he was.’
‘That’s an awful thing to say.’
‘It’s the truth. What, just because he’s dead we’re supposed to pretend he wasn’t fat?’
I turned my attention back to Jack. ‘Soanyway, who owns this place now?’
‘A friend of mine, from back in L.A. Her name is Hannah.’
‘I do hope you’re only saying good things about me.’
Jack stiffened slightly when he heard her voice, but only for a fraction of a second before he relaxed again, smiling up at the woman who was standing beside our booth. Her expression as she regarded us all, lingering on me in particular, was a mixture of curiosity and something else, something that instantly made me feel defensive. She dropped her hand onto Jack’s shoulder and I realized what it was. She was marking her territory.
‘Hannah,’ Jack exclaimed, getting up and embracing her. ‘I thought you’d gone back to L.A.’
‘I had planned on it, but decided to stop off and visit an old college friend in Washington instead.’ She lowered her voice, intending her next words to be for Jack’s ears only, but I could still inadvertently hear everything she said. ‘I told her about our last interaction,’ she told him. ‘She made me see how ungrateful I’ve been. I had to come back to say sorry in person and make sure you weren’t upset with me.’
‘It’s fine,’ he told her. ‘Already forgotten.’
‘You’re so good to me.’
‘Are you hungry?’ he asked. ‘We’ve just ordered, you’re welcome to join us.’
‘No,’ she replied. ‘Just tired. I think I’ll head upstairs and make up the bed.’
‘Of course.’ He smiled. ‘Do you need any help?’
‘No, I can manage. Don’t let me interrupt your lunch.’ Her eyes dropped to mine. ‘He’s so protective of me, even though I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.’ She held out her hand. ‘I’m Hannah. Proprietor of this place.’
I shook her hand. ‘Taylor. And this is Ray.’
‘How do you all know each other?’ Her question was delivered casually, but the underlying sharpness was there.
‘Jack and I met for the first time last night,’ I told her. ‘Although I didn’t recognize him with his clothes on.’
Her eyebrows shot up. ‘Excuse me?’
