I cleaned the table next to hers, then leaned over before I left.“If you want to interrogate someone, do it elsewhere,agent.I’ve been followed by the FBI my entire life.Andthatis not a lie.”
“Ellie Jacobs-Porciello?That’s a mouthful.”
I cringed inside.She was calling me out.If I lied to her this time, I could get in big trouble.
“Just Jacobs, agent.”
“So, tell me, is the rumor of him being hospitalized in Las Vegas on February thirteenth true?”
“Hospital?”While I knew exactly why he was admitted, I was supposed to be clueless about that part.
“And the one about you marrying someone else?What about that one?”
I turned and locked eyes with her.“What’s your name?”
“Bridget, Bridget Perkins.”
“Well, Agent Perkins, here’s how it went down.I found out Johnny was cheating on me.I sent my sister to cancel the wedding, but she somehow found the love of her life and decided, ‘what the hell,’ and got married so Mom and Dad, and everyone tuned into the live stream got a show.They were going to get an annulment, but instead, decided to see how it all works.That’s the whole story.Now, if you excuse me, I’ve got a bar to run.”
“He checked out of the hospital, against orders, on February fourteenth.No one has heard from him since.”
Maybe if I hadn’t had the wild two weeks I’d had, or maybe if Ringo hadn’t charmed his way into my house last night, I might have had some emotion about that.But all I could think was, “Good riddance.”
“If he turns up dead, you’re the first suspect.”
How convenient.I glanced at the bar.Molly was doing an admirable job closing out orders but it wasn’t her job, yet.“Suspect?A guy who was supposed to stay in the hospital dying?That would hardly be considered murder, if you ask me.Talk to Casey—he knows the law.And so do I.Unless you got a warrant for my arrest, I’m done talking to you, Agent Perkins.You can leave now.”
But she didn’t.I knew she wouldn’t.
A few minutes before last call, Ringo sauntered in and took the stool on the end.My stool.
I finished filling Tall Bob’s beer and rushed to intercept him before he did something to connect himself to Agent Perkin’s web.
“I’m going to be another hour.Wait in the car or at my house.”
“No.”He was unusually abrupt tonight.
“Ringo, please?It’s not cool for you to be here.”
He glanced around and dismissed the thinning crowd.Unfortunately, he’d mistaken Agent Perkins as harmless.She was anything but.“I’ll stay.”
I quickly shifted subject.“What are you drinking?”
“Whiskey, top shelf, neat.”
Figured.I pulled down our best Jameson triple.I dropped a small rocks glass in front of him and splashed two ounces in the bottom.
He picked it up and examined the glass.“It’s dirty.”
I didn’t have enough fucks in my brain basket to be patient with him.“Exactly.Like a certain someone I know.You really need to wait in your car.”
“You like me dirty.”
My cheeks heated as I retreated to close out tabs and announce the final call.
“Ellie?When did you have your bridal shower?”Molly asked.
“I didn’t have one.”There wasn’t time.Johnny pressured me to elope to Vegas, and I had to scramble to get the arrangements together.I barely had time to talk my sister into being my maid of honor.
