He quirked a brow. “Aren’t you afraid of being seen?”
“I can wait in the car.” She was already grabbing her crutches.
“You mean now?” He looked back at the Toro.
Her whole body seemed to sink in the chair. “Oh, right. Sorry. You were in the middle of mowing.”
He supposed the lawn could wait. “Come on. I’ll finish later.”
Her bright smile was all the thanks he needed. He helped her to her feet. Her arms were slim but strong, and he found himself reluctant to let her go as she balanced on the crutches.
“You’re supposed to be resting that ankle.”
“I can rest it in the car,” she said with a saucy smile and hobbled away before he could argue.
nineteen
It was taking Levi forever. He’d parked in the shade behind the law firm and left her the keys. Mia put down the window and propped her foot on the dashboard.
Maybe it was good news that it was taking so long. On the other hand, he probably just knew the people inside. Small-town folks often liked to stop and shoot the breeze. Not like in LA, where you passed only strangers on the street, and when you did run into someone you knew, it was all polite smiles and promises of lunches that were never fulfilled.
Mia pulled out the journal and continued reading. Who knew, maybe her grandmother would mention the necklace again. Several entries later, the driver’s door opened and Levi slid inside.
Her eyes raked over his face for any clues as to his success. “What did they say?” Mia pulled her foot down from the dashboard.
He started the car and buckled himself in before answering her. “Well, for starters, I was wrong.”
“I’ve never heard that roll off a man’s tongue so easily,” she said playfully.
He gave her a wry look and adjusted the air conditioning. “Sorry it took so long. I ran into a buddy from high school.”
Levi put the car into Drive and pulled from the parking spot.
“Well, don’t keep me in suspense,” she said. “What did he say?”
“It’s good news, actually. Wills do become public after the estate is settled. And they’re stored at the clerk’s office. Although Robert said with this one being kind of old he didn’t know whether they’d still have it on hand. It might take a bit of patience to retrieve it.”
“But that’s great news! Can we go there next?”
“I’m one step ahead of you. I already called down there, and Connie’s looking for the record now. She said it would be in the basement, so she’s trying to hunt it down.”
Mia could hardly sit still. “We could have that will in our hands in a few minutes.”
“Provided she can find it. And even so, keep in mind, it might not tell us a thing about the necklace.”
She gave him a pointed look. “That would be good news though.”
Levi’s lips twitched. “Fair enough. Just trying to temper your enthusiasm with a little realism.”
Mia clutched the journal. “I haven’t found another mention of the necklace, but I’m not done yet. I hope it’s in the house somewhere. Wouldn’t that be something?”
“That it would. But chances are she left it to a friend or relative.”
“I hope not.”
“Well, we’ll know more soon enough.”
It only took a few minutes to get to the courthouse.
