Rustling near his feet made him back up in time to see Bunny wriggle out from under the crib.
Mitch laughed. “You were definitely the right dog for us, weren’t you, Bunny?”
She wagged her tail, which made her entire body wriggle. He crouched down and held Ruthie so she could see Bunny. She patted Bunny on the head.
“You two are something else.” Mitch kissed Ruthie again, then put her back in her crib. He turned to Beryl. “I have to go out. I’ll be home by dinner, though.”
“I’ll let Joyce know.”
“Thanks.” He headed downstairs and into the garage that held the golf cart. He pressed the button to roll the big door up, then backed the golf cart out, turned it around and followed the driveway to the street. He made a quick U-turn and went down Harper’s driveway.
Harper was standing outside, and Jack was making his way toward them from the guest house. She smiled at Mitch as he approached. “Frankie’s on her way down. She had to finish up an email.”
Mitch parked. “I didn’t give Lucas a firm time, just said we were on our way in about ten minutes.”
She climbed into the seat beside him. Jack got in the back. Frankie stepped out the front door and took the last seat next to Jack. “Hi, Mitch.”
“Hi, Frankie. Jack.”
Jack nodded back at him. “Hey, man.”
“Everybody in?”
Three yeses answered him. He drove to Lucas’s. A dark blue Ford Explorer with an Enterprise sticker on the rear window sat beside Lucas’s white Range Rover. Mitch parked and they all went to the front door.
Lucas greeted them with a smile. Harper made the introductions between Jack and Lucas.
Jack shook the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you, man.”
“You, too. Big fan of your work.”
Jack bowed his head. “Much appreciated.”
Lucas ushered them in and gestured to the man standing in the living room. “This is my brother, Angelo, the private investigator. Angie, this is my girlfriend, Frankie, her sister, Harper, and two men that probably don’t need an introduction, Jack Marsh and Mitchell Ripley.”
Mitch raised his hand in greeting. “Pleasure to meet you, Angelo.”
“Angie, please,” the man said, his New York accent pronounced. He was slightly taller than Lucas, far grayer, and had a few extra pounds around the middle that didn’t detract too much from his thick, boxer’s build. “Nice to meet all of you.”
“Likewise,” Jack said.
Angie had a glass of lemonade in one hand. “This is really something.” He walked over to them, smiling. “I had no idea my little brother actually had friends. And to think some of them are famous and some of them are good-looking women.” He winked at Lucas. “You’re doing all right, kid.”
“Thanks.” Lucas rolled his eyes and laughed. “Let’s get everyone something to drink and then we’ll sit in the living room and talk.”
Chapter Eighteen
Harper sat with Mitch on the couch, while Lucas and Frankie took the loveseat, and Angie and Jack settled into the chairs. Everyone had either water or lemonade.
Angie looked like something out of a wise guys movie. His graying hair was slicked back into a low pompadour. He wore loose pleated trousers with a Hawaiian shirt, woven leather shoes, and several pieces of gold jewelry, including a religious medallion of some kind on a chain around his neck.
With a deeply serious expression, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and clasped his hands together as he addressed Jack. “I understand you got a problem.”
Jack nodded, looking just as serious. “Yeah, man. I got a big problem, and her name is Monica.”
“This Monica have a last name?”
“Monica Roman. She lives in Torrey Pines.”
