“Perhaps.What happened with your date?
“You wouldn’t believe it,” said Nora.“This one listed himself as an adventurous foodie and an excellent conversationalist.”
“He sounds like a good pick.”
“Hesoundedthat way.But then he showed up twenty minutes late, wearing a fanny pack.Not one of those new, trendy ones, mind you.A beige number, circa 1987.”
Sam tried to look sympathetic while Arlo sniffed a particularly interesting bush.
“The second red flag happened when he spent the entire appetizer course explaining his cryptocurrency investment strategy.In detail.I don’t even know what a blockchain is.After forty minutes of explanation, I still don’t.”
Sam said, “That sounds pretty bad, I have to admit.”
“And here’s the kicker.When the entrees arrived, he pulled out a Tupperware container from the fanny pack.”
“He didn’t,” said Sam, genuinely curious now, despite herself.
“He did!He said restaurant portions were ‘financially irresponsible’ and he always brings containers to maximize value.Then he asked our waiter, the poor waiter Sam, to split his entrée in half so he could pack up his lunch for tomorrow.”
Sam could only shake her head.“I’m sorry,” she said again.
“I excused myself to the powder room and seriously considered climbing out the window.But I’m not as flexible as I used to be, and it was a second-floor bathroom.”
Arlo looked up at Nora with what appeared to be sympathy.
Nora gave a barking laugh.“Even Arlo feels bad for me.Maybe I should just get a dog.”
Sam bit back a smile.“What happened when you got back to the table?I’m assuming youdidgo back to the table.”
“Oh, he was explaining to the couple seated at the next table why they should also be bringing Tupperware to restaurants.They looked terrified.I told myself I had a sudden migraine and left.”
“Was he upset?”
Nora snorted.“Absolutely not.The man apparently can’t pick up on subtext at all.He asked me when we could meet up next time.As if!There is no next time, Simon with the fanny pack!”
“Understandably,” said Sam.
Nora’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.“I suppose you’re doing your thing, aren’t you?”
“What thing is that?”
“Investigating,” said Nora.“I see that gleam in your eye.Just like Nancy Drew.”
“I’m a bit older than Nancy.And no, I’m notinvestigating, per se.I’m just poking around.I leave investigating to the professionals.”
Nora tilted her head to one side.“If you say so.The evidence suggests otherwise.Are you planning on talking to Gerald-the-bank-teller?Using the excuse of a financial transaction?”
Sam was about to refute this when she stopped.“Actually, I do have a check that came in.”
“Well then.”
Sam said, “But I ordinarily deposit checks through the app.”
“Pardon?”Nora frowned.
“The bank has a phone application I can use to deposit checks.”
Nora was shaking her head before Sam had even finished speaking.“I wouldn’t trust that, Sam.I like a physical bank and actual people handling the check.Plus, it gives you the perfect time to talk to Gerald about whether he killed Margaret Brennan or not.”
