I heard a glass hit the table and I had a feeling Michael had just swallowed the rest of his beer. “She can wear black for the rest of her life for all I care. And don’t look at me like I’m the asshole here. She had me thrown out of his funeral. Do you know how mad my wife is about that?”
“You were drunk and belligerent.”
His tone was mocking. “Am I not allowed to mourn?”
“Look, I’m your attorney, not your therapist. Family strife is messy. Contracts are not. Whatever happened between you and your father that prompted him to make the changes he did is not my problem. My job is to tell you what it means. And it means that money is no longer yours.”
“This is not how things were supposed to go down. I was supposed to…” He trailed off.
“I know you’re not happy, but there’s nothing else that can be done. You could try to sue your grieving mother, but you don’t have a solid case, and I wouldn’t recommend it.”
Michael sighed, but he sounded frustrated, not apologetic. “I’m not going to sue my mother.”
“Good, because I’d fire you as a client if you did.”
“Thanks, I appreciate your loyalty,” Michael said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“I’ve helped you out because we’re friends. Or we used to be. So can I give you some advice, not as your attorney, but as a friend?”
“Sure.”
“Be careful. I know there was a lot more to your father than his reputation as a beloved artist. But you need to quit rampaging around town, drunk off your ass, talking about how much he screwed you over to anyone who’ll listen. It’s not a good look. Especially if people start asking questions.”
“What are you implying?”
“You know exactly what I’m implying. I can’t protect you from everything.”
“Excuse me?” a female voice said.
The server startled me so much, my glasses slipped all the way down my nose. I pushed them up and gave her a weak smile. “Hi. Sorry.”
“Did someone seat you? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I had another table.”
“Oh, no. You’re fine. I’m waiting for a to-go order.” I opened my mouth to keep explaining what I was doing at a table, when I should have been sitting in the lobby, but I had no idea what to say. So I said nothing and kept smiling at her like an idiot.
She didn’t seem to know what to do about me, either. After hesitating for a second, she glanced toward the kitchen. “I’ll go check on that for you. What’s the name on the order?”
“Penelope.”
“Great.”
I squirmed in my seat as she walked away. Thankfully, Michael and his attorney were still talking. They didn’t seem to be paying any attention to the weird girl eavesdropping on them.But I wondered if I should stay there or go back to the lobby. I was kind of committed, so maybe it was best to stay where I was.
A few moments later, the server came back with a to-go bag, and I breathed out a sigh of relief. Michael and the attorney’s conversation had kept going, but I didn’t hear anything else that seemed important. As soon as she handed me my food, I thanked her and scurried out of the restaurant as fast as I could.
My head was spinning as I got in my car. Michael was clearly angry at his father, and it definitely had something to do with money. That wasn’t necessarily suspicious, but something about the way he’d saidThis is not how things were supposed to go downbothered me.
He might have just meant he’d expected to receive an inheritance when his father passed, and he hadn’t. But what if it meant something else? Something worse? What if the falling-out hadn’t just been an argument?
And what had his attorney been implying?
I really needed to talk to Theo. But he was at his parents’ house. I couldn’t interrupt a family dinner.
At least I wouldn’t have to wait until Monday to see him again. Unexpected benefit of being roommates—it was going to make our little investigation that much easier.
CHAPTER 16
Penelope
