Chapter 4
Aiden returned home sometime after midnight. I half-woke when the mattress dipped and his arm slid around my waist. The warmth of him and the steady rhythm of his breathing pulled me right back under. When I opened my eyes again, he was already gone.
By the time I drove over the pass, rain had returned, light but steady, slicking the road in thick sheets. The town slept as I pulled into Silverville and parked in front of Silver Sadie’s, Tessa’s converted bar turned diner.
I grabbed my bag and dashed through the drizzle, boots splashing across puddles.
Inside, the place was dim except for the soft glow from the string lights Tessa had hung for St. Patrick’s Day.
Green shamrocks dotted the windows, paper chains looped across the ceiling, and a cardboard leprechaun leaned over the cash register like a cheerful bouncer.
Yellow-checked curtains brightened the windows, and the thick wooden floors gleamed under the warm light.
For a moment I just breathed it in, the scent of coffee, butter, and lemon oil settling over me. Silver Sadie’s felt like home. The grandmothers sat at a booth against the far wall, facing each other across a polished wooden table.
Tessa stood behind the bar and leaned over the counter, hair in a messy knot and eyes wide. “They got here before me,” she whispered.
“Of course they did.” I slid onto a stool. “You talk to them yet?”
She rubbed her forehead. “Tried. They ran me off after grilling me about my finances. Our grandmothers could bankrupt a banker.”
I blinked. “They talked about money?”
“Oh yeah. Stocks, savings, retirement plans. I made a break for it after they started discussing compound interest.”
I laughed, more out of nerves than amusement. “So I’m next.”
“Probably.” She pushed a warm blueberry muffin toward me. “Eat first. You’ll need the carbs.”
I broke off a piece and eyed the booth in the back. “How bad could it be?”
Tessa snorted softly. “You’re about to find out.”
Nonna Albertini and Nana O’Shea sat across from each other, twin cups of steaming coffee between them. Neither looked tense, but the quiet between them could have peeled paint.
Nana petite and elegant, had her blondish-red hair swept back, streaked with soft gray that shimmered in the café light. She wore a flowing green wrap sprinkled with gold threads and enough sparkly jewelry to look magical.
Nonna, taller and commanding, had her dark hair pulled up, silver streaks bright at her temples. Her tan trench coat was buttoned neatly, and beside her sat a monstrous black purse large enough to hold a magnifying glass, handcuffs, and a wooden spoon—just in case.
I walked over, doing my best impression of calm. “Morning.”
“Anna, dear,” Nana said with her sweet Irish lilt. “You look tired. Late night?”
I tried for casual. “Sort of.”
Nonna’s smile deepened. “Aiden came back after midnight again?”
“He was working,” I said quickly. “You know, ATF business.”
Nana’s green eyes twinkled. “Such a devoted man. When are you two getting married?”
I blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
Nonna leaned in, resting her chin on her hand. “You’ve been together for quite some time now. Don’t you think it’s time to make it official?”
“Oh, I think about the future all the time,” I said, forcing a laugh that came out more like a squeak. “Just not…wedding registries and color palettes.”
Nana appeared dreamy. “You’d look lovely in cream.”
Nonna nodded, pretending to ponder. “Or something classic. Lace suits you.”
My brain scrambled. “We haven’t even talked about that. We’re happy.”
“Of course you are,” Nonna said smoothly. “But happiness is even better with commitment.”
Nana smiled, eyes gleaming. “I could call Father Liam. He owes me a favor.”
“Please don’t.” I stepped back, clutching the muffin like it might protect me. “You two planned this.”
Nana widened her eyes innocently. “Planned what?”
“You know what,” I coughed out. “This. The tag-team ambush.”
Nonna stirred her coffee. “We only worry because we love you.”
That made it worse.
“I’m going to…check on Tessa.” I retreated before either of them could mention children or china patterns.
At the counter, Tessa waited. “That bad?”
“They ran me off with wedding questions,” I muttered, tearing into my muffin. “They asked about dates, dresses, and priests.”
She winced. “Oof. You got the big guns.”
I glanced back at the booth. Both grandmothers were watching me, still smiling—sweet, calm, and absolutely victorious. Fond too, which somehow made it worse.
“Yeah,” I said softly. “They knew exactly what they were doing.”
The air around our grandmothers had shifted, becoming heavier now, holding the kind of weight that made me uneasy.
Nonna Albertini reached into her purse and pulled out a thick cream-colored envelope. The stationery looked expensive and was stiff and embossed. She set it down between them without a sound.
Nana O’Shea watched her for a long moment, then reached into her own elegant green handbag. Out came another envelope, gold-trimmed, thick paper. She placed it in front of Nonna.
They traded envelopes.
Neither smiled. They unfolded the notes at the same time, and I felt something inside me tighten.
Their faces changed almost immediately. Nana’s mouth flattened, her brows drawing together as though she’d swallowed something sour.
Nonna’s chin lifted slightly, eyes flashing before she forced her expression back to neutral.
Tessa whispered, “That’s not good.”
“Definitely not good,” I murmured, my pulse picking up. “We need to know what’s on those cards.”
“I vote no,” Tessa said under her breath.
The smell of coffee hung thick in the air while rain tapped softly against the windows. The sound filled the quiet like a heartbeat. The grandmothers refolded the cards and handed them back to each other to slip into their purses. So they just wanted to read each other’s notes?
My curiosity burned hot enough to drown out common sense. “Come on.” I slid off the stool.
Tessa groaned. “Do we have to?”
“Yes. We absolutely do.”
We made our way across the restaurant and around tables to reach the booth. Both grandmothers looked up as we approached, composed again. Their coffee sat untouched.
I stopped at the edge of the table. “Okay, what are on those fancy notes you just opened?”
Nonna blinked, the picture of calm. “What was what, cara mia?”
“That little note exchange. Thick envelopes. Matching stationery. You’re both frowning like you just read bad news,” I whispered, unable to find more volume.
Nana lifted her cup, buying time. “Just correspondence, dear.”
“Between each other?” I asked, eyes narrowing. “In person? At breakfast? With matching stationery?”
Neither answered.
Tessa cleared her throat. “Are you at least going to tell us what this is about?”
“No,” Nonna said simply.
Nana set her cup down gently. “It’s better that way. Please don’t concern yourselves with this. We know what we’re doing.”
My frustration bubbled up. “Do the grandpas know that the two of you are even meeting?”
“Absolutely not,” Nonna replied.
Nana nodded. “We’re all going to keep it that way.”
I glanced between them. “You’re serious.”
“As heart attacks,” Nonna said softly.
They went back to their coffee, shutting down the conversation like a door slamming in my face.
My shoulders stiffened. “You’ve both taught us that we always rely on family.”
Nonna arched an eyebrow. “We do, and right now, there’s nothing to worry about.”
Right now? I swallowed. “Is something coming?”
A look passed between them. One I couldn’t interpret.
“No,” Nonna finally said.
Why didn’t I believe her? “Does this have anything to do with the theft at your store, Nana? With the dynamite?”
Nana snorted. “No. I promise. This has nothing to do with that situation.”
Nonna sat back. “Wait a minute. Are you sure?”
Nana rolled her green eyes. “Seriously? Come on, Elda. No way with the dynamite or the theft. Doesn’t make sense with, the, ah, whole situation. Think about it.”
Nonna patted her massive purse. “You’re right. Speaking of the theft, Three Hens Investigations would like to take on your case. On the house, since we’re family.”
Tessa took a step back. My knees shook but I didn’t move.
Since they were family? Sure, they were, but I’d never heard either one of them acknowledge it.
They were always polite, even kind, with each other, but still.
“Um, Nonna? I think Aiden and the ATF are already working hard on the case.” I didn’t want my grandmother chasing somebody who felt fine planting old dynamite.
She shrugged. “Of course, and the ATF is good at finding explosives and such. The theft will be secondary to their investigation. You know that.”
Nana squinted up at me. “Is that true?”
I gulped. “Well, yes. But if they find the person who had the dynamite, they’ll find the thief. I think you should let them do their job.”
Nana cupped her hands around the still steaming coffee. “I don’t suppose it’d hurt to have more than one investigation going, but I’d insist upon paying Three Hens. Your agency is new and shouldn’t work for free. I wouldn’t mind a family discount, however.”
Holy crap. They’d both just used the word ‘family’ in regard to each other.
Tessa leaned close and whispered, “We should back away slowly.”
“Yeah,” I said, still thinking about the notes, both now tucked neatly out of sight. “But I really want to know what’s in those envelopes.”
Nana’s mild gaze flicked to me with unmistakable warning. “Curiosity is not always a virtue, Anna.”
“Neither is secrecy,” I muttered.
The door opened with a jingle.
“We’re not open yet,” Tessa said, turning toward the entrance. “Oh. Aiden, hi.”
I smiled. “I didn’t know you were heading over the pass. Figured you’d have to go into your office.” Darn it. We could’ve driven over together.
One of his dark eyebrows rose. “I went for a run, and you were gone. The note was nice, though.”
Oops. When I awoke, he was already gone, and I had to get moving. “You could’ve called.”
His blue eyes warmed. “I did. Your phone is off.”
Double oops. I sighed. “It’s in my car. I’ll turn it on when I go outside.”
“In your car?” he asked, his voice deepening.
“Yes,” I said rather snippily. “I’m perfectly safe in Silverville.” Sometimes I liked his overprotectiveness. Sometimes I didn’t.
He hummed slightly, his eyes promising a discussion later. “Hi, Tessa.” His attention turned to my grandmothers. “Ladies.”
They both smiled.
Dread dropped into my stomach. Hopefully they wouldn’t hit him with the same wedding talk. I couldn’t take it. “So, Aiden. Why are you here?”
“Mrs. O’Shea? I need to interview you about the dynamite.” He moved closer to me.
“Of course,” Nana said, gesturing toward me. “My attorney is here, so why don’t you join me? The coffee is fresh and no doubt delicious.” She looked up at Tessa. “Could we have a couple of muffins, sweetheart?”
Nonna leaned toward Nana. “See? He’s talking about dynamite and not your antique boxes.”
Aiden’s smile looked forced. “I’d appreciate it if Three Hens didn’t interfere with my investigation, Mrs. Albertini.”
Eesh. Tessa and I both took a step away from Aiden.
Nonna’s chin lifted. “We’d appreciate it if your investigation didn’t hinder ours.”
Holy crap. Tessa reached down and took my hand. I couldn’t breathe.
Nonna hefted herself out of the booth. “I need to get to work and will talk to you all later.” She walked over and kissed both Tessa and me on the cheek before moving toward Aiden.
“If you need any assistance with your part of the case, let me know.” She levered up and kissed Aiden on his whiskered jaw before turning and moving toward the door.
“Mrs. Albertini?” Aiden asked calmly.
She turned and looked over her shoulder. “Call me Nonna, Aiden. We’re going to be family as soon as you get it together and propose to my granddaughter.”
Tessa gasped quietly next to me. My mouth went dry.
Aiden’s expression didn’t change. Not a bit. “Nonna? I adore you, but if you put yourself in danger or mess with my investigation, I’ll take you into custody.”
“Wow,” Tessa breathed.
I couldn’t breathe. Not at all.
Nonna’s smile was brilliant. “Try it, young man. I dare you.” With that, she swept outside into the rain.
Holy. Crap.