“I have a few ideas.” She shot another glare across the room. “Mark my words, he’ll pay for this trick.”
One of the staff came over with a vacuum, and we helped Grandma get cleaned up as best we could. I didn’t miss the hint of a smile she gave Maury when she thought no one was looking. She was pretending she didn’t find it funny, but I could see her laughing on the inside.
She’d probably crack up as much as Maury had when she was alone and wouldn’t have to admit it to anyone.
Once we’d de-glittered her as much as we could, we got our dinner. I still wasn’t hungry, so I mostly kept her companywhile she ate. She didn’t bring up Sean—or Theo—again. I knew she was relieved to hear I’d finally left that relationship. There wasn’t much more to say about it, now that it was over.
After dinner, I took her upstairs to her apartment, then said goodbye. I needed to go to the grocery store. And maybe I’d stop somewhere for takeout on the way home. Theo wouldn’t be there—he had plans with his parents—and Italian sounded good.
Nature’s Basket was packed, which wasn’t unusual for a weekend. I maneuvered my cart around as best I could. The fact that there were only two cashiers didn’t bother me. I felt sorry for them. Poor things were slammed. I felt a little silly, but I told the cashier she was doing a great job. Her grateful smile made me glad I’d spoken up.
As I loaded my groceries into my car, my stomach rumbled a little. Hunger had caught up with me and I was going to feed it with pasta. I planned to hit up a great Italian bistro I hadn’t been to in ages, mostly because Sean didn’t like it.
But that didn’t matter anymore.
They had online ordering, so I put in the order from the grocery store parking lot, drove the short distance to the restaurant, found parking, and went inside.
It smelled like garlic bread, basil, and oregano. Tables were covered with red and white checked tablecloths and twinkle lights added a cheerful ambiance.
I checked in with the hostess and sat down to wait for my order. Only a few of the tables were occupied and a server dressed in black brought food to a couple seated on the far side. My eyes wandered, stopping on the people sitting at a table toward the back. Was that…? It was. Michael Morris. He had a pint of beer and took a piece of bread from the plate in the center of the table. A man sat across from him, but I couldn’t see much of his face. From what I could see, I didn’t recognize him.
Michael was dressed casually in a long-sleeve T-shirt, while his companion wore a button-down shirt with the sleeves cuffed to his elbows. They both had a beer, although Michael’s was already half-empty and the other man’s was mostly full. They were talking, but I was too far away to even guess what they were saying.
Curiosity filled me. Ever since finding the note in the painting, I’d been pondering who might be a suspect. Michael Morris had been one of the first to come to mind. If Edwin had a strained relationship with his son—and it seemed clear that he had—he could have feared the worst.
I chewed on my bottom lip, wishing I could hear what they were saying. The table next to them was empty.What if I…?
But I was by myself. If Theo were with me, he’d give me a subtle gesture, nodding toward the table, and we’d both quietly get up and sit next to them.
Could I do the same thing alone?
There was no reason I couldn’t. Other than my own fear holding me back.
Nervously, I adjusted my glasses. I was about to commit to staying right where I was—I couldn’t do it alone—when a little spark flared inside me. I didn’t know where it came from, but I straightened in my seat, imagining how excited Theo would be when I told him I hadn’t let the chance go to waste. The way he’d smile with those dimples and give me a fist bump.
He’d be proud of me.
I glanced around. The hostess was on the phone, probably taking a to-go order. And the server was nowhere to be seen.
My heart beating hard, I slipped a menu from the front counter and walked as casually as I could to the table next to Michael and his companion. Choosing the chair that would put me back to back with the other man, I sat down and buried my face in the menu.
“I know that’s not what you want to hear,” the second man was saying. “But it’s the truth.”
“It’s bullshit. The bastard can’t get away with that.”
“He can, and he did.”
“That was supposed to be my money. I don’t know how he talked my mom into screwing me over like this.”
“I told you, her signature is on everything. You need to take it up with her.”
Michael groaned. “She’ll just cry again.”
The other man cleared his throat. “She did just lose her husband.”
“He was an ass.”
“Which means she’s not allowed to mourn?”
