Was Casey asking me to corroborate Ringo’s lie?“Huh?”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.No coffee yet.Maybe hungover.”Funny, I didn’t feel hungover.I was mostly mortified.These two weren’t supposed to meet.Ever.
“How long ‘you in town for?”Casey made small talk while Ringo made coffee.He had already been through my cabinets once, so he found everything right away.That had to be making Casey super suspicious.
Ringo answered him.“At least two weeks.The company I work for sent me to check out an acquisition.”
“That sounds fancy.Which company do you work for?”
“Casey, give it a rest.”
He whipped his gaze to me.“You and I need to talk.”
“No, we don’t.I’m a big girl now, Dad,” I fired back.
He leaned back in his chair and grimaced.
Ringo glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at me.He knew all about my mom and dad and their alpaca farm in northern Arizona.A shiver swept over me courtesy of the draft at my back.
The adult onesie was on the floor by the couch.I tossed off all shame and pulled it on.
Ringo set two cups on the table.Mine already had cream in it with a little sugar, just like I liked it.Casey’s was black, but Ringo put my cream pitcher on the table.It was a black and white cow I’d picked up at a flea market.It color-matched the black and white sugar bowl labeled “cocaine” that sat proudly in the center of the table next to my Bert and Ernie salt and pepper shakers.Ringo took his mug, my favorite plain mug that was labeled “Tears of my enemies” on each side.He sipped first.
Assured it wasn’t poisoned, Casey picked his cup up along with the conversation.
“Less than a month,” he muttered into his mug.
“Well, if it weren’t for the sniper incident and maybe the major battle royal in Tuscany, we’d be married now,” I snarked back.
Ringo’s eyes went wide.
Casey laughed.“I have no clue where you come up with your ideas, Ellie.”He leaned a little to include Ringo.“Has she blindsided you with anything so insane that you question your ears?”
His eyes dipped down my body.“No, but I’ve questioned my eyes at least twice.”
That earned a table slap from Casey.“She’s a pistol.Her and Kat both.”
Speaking of…where did Ringo hide that gun?Maybe I’d shoot my male guests with it?
“Best damn women I’ve ever met, her and Kat.I was barely making rent.Those two took over and I can retire for real this time.”
“You’re not retiring.”A pang of fear shot through my heart.What would I do without Casey?He was my rock.The boss-dad I never knew I needed.
“That’s because you won’t let me.”
“Someone’s got to take the Sunday mass crowd.Those folks are downright scary.”
“Speaking of Sunday… Kat says we’re opening the basement for the parade overflow?”
“That’s right.”I explained my idea of locals only to Casey.He and Molly would handle the patrons downstairs, while our main force took on the tourists.I’d doubled the shift coverage in hopes for a sunny day and a good crowd.
“And what are you doing on the Sunday before St.Patrick’s Day, Ringo?”Casey had shifted to good cop, but he was still interrogating him in a very casual but friendly way.
“I’ll probably be drinking with the tourists.”He studied me as he spoke.
“You’ll still be in town?”Casey asked.
