Chapter 17 #2
I glanced at the top left corner of the pleading. “Zippy O’Bellini. He seems to be getting a lot of business from Gloria. Who is this guy?”
Henry pursed his lips. “I think he’s an attorney out of Portland, but I heard he wants to move to Idaho.”
“No kidding,” I muttered. “This is how he does it?”
Henry nodded. “Yeah. From what I can tell, he’s close to retirement age and wants to settle here, just taking small cases.”
I took a deep breath, already exhausted. “I really don’t have time for this. How serious is Gloria?”
“Oh, deadly,” Henry said solemnly. Then he corrected himself. “She wants to take your whole family down.”
How dumb. “Why?”
“I think it’s mainly the pies,” he said, nodding as if that made sense. “She really wants to win the pie tasting contest. Plus, she’s tired of how uppity you all are.”
My chin dropped. “Uppity?”
“Her words, not mine,” he said smoothly, leaning forward like he was about to close a deal. “If you go ahead and say yes to a date with me, I might be able to talk her out of this.”
“Really? You know that’s extortion, right?”
He shrugged. “Only if you can prove it.”
I studied him for a moment, and, damn it, he wasn’t wrong. Maybe the guy had a brain after all. “Are you and Gloria close?”
Henry grinned. “Her husband’s been my optometrist my whole life, and I was on a couple of teams with her kids. She’s all right. I’m getting to know her more through these lawsuits.”
“Really?” I asked. “How are you involved?”
He straightened his tie, clearly pleased to explain. “Zippy has hired me not only to be a process server for him, but also to do some research and legwork. That kind of thing. I’ve been conducting witness interviews for the case against your grandma.”
“Sure,” I said slowly. “Have you found out anything interesting?”
Henry clasped his hands together. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I took another sip of my latte, watching him over the rim. “Yes,” I said. “I would like to know. Can you tell me anything?”
He chuckled. “Nope. Can’t you depose me or something?”
I lifted a brow. “You want to be deposed?”
“Yeah. I think it’d be totally fun to be part of a deposition.” He patted his leg. “What do you say?”
I took another sip, dragging it out just to make him wait.
“As great as that would be, since you’re working for the other side, pretty much everything would be work product, so I probably couldn’t depose you.
” I set my cup down. “But I do need to get some interrogatories sent off to Zippy. I’m not going to roll over on this. ”
Henry sighed. “He’s not going to roll over, either.”
Probably true. I eyed Henry. “Can you tell me anything about the case?”
“Just that everyone thinks your grandma did it.”
“Nobody thinks that,” I retorted.
Henry pressed his lips together and looked from side to side like he knew something I didn’t.
“Come on,” I said. “What is it?”
He shrugged. “Let’s just say she really likes winning that pie contest, and this has given her some notoriety.”
I stared at him. “Notoriety? For what, baking?”
“I mean,” he said, grinning, “using her own lotion. People in the valley like spunk. I bet her opening day on Saturday is going to be amazing.”
I swallowed hard. It would’ve been amazing anyway, but now it was going to be even bigger.
Henry stood, buttoning his ill-fitting jacket. “So how about we go out, just for one dinner, and I help you with this case? I’ll tell you everything I have.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s how it works. It’s still extortion, and it’ll get you fired. You like your job, don’t you?”
“I do.” He reared back a little. “I don’t want to get fired.”
“Then you probably shouldn’t offer to tell the other side anything,” I said, “even if it’s somebody you want to date.”
He rubbed his smoothly shaven jaw, obviously thinking it over.
“That’s a good point.” Then his eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward like he was settling into gossip.
“I know your sister Tessa’s engaged to one of the Basanellis.
What about Donna? I always thought she was seriously hot.
I bugged her in high school a lot. Is she single? ”
I kept my tone casual. “Nope,” I lied easily. “Not even close.”
He looked disappointed but recovered fast. “What about Lacey? You remember your cousin Lacey?”
“Yeah, I remember my cousin Lacey,” I said, trying not to smile. “She’s living in Detroit, working as a cop.”
Henry perked up, clearly entertained by the mental image. “Ooh, that’s hot.”
“She’s practically married,” I added, even though that wasn’t true at all.
“Darn it.” He sighed, straightening his too small jacket. “All right, well, if you change your mind, give me a call.”
I stood too, matching his polite smile. “I’ll definitely do that.” Not in a million years.
Henry took the hint, turned, and walked out.
When the door shut behind him, I sat and exhaled before pulling the complaint toward me. It was a standard slander filing. Gloria wanted money.
“This is getting absolutely ridiculous,” I muttered.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Zippy O’Bellini, taking the number off the document.
He answered on the second ring, his voice a deep rumble that sounded both amused and professional. “O’Bellini.”
“Hi, it’s Anna Albertini,” I replied.
He didn’t waste time. “I’ve been meaning to give you a call. Would you like to talk settlement negotiations?”
“Absolutely,” I said, already expecting trouble. “I don’t suppose you’re going to be anywhere near Silverville later today?”
He paused. “Well, I will be. I’m actually looking at some office space there.”
So it was true. He was thinking of moving there.
“Wonderful,” I said. “Late afternoon, how about at Silver Sadie’s? Maybe four o’clock?”
He chuckled. “You want to meet at an old whorehouse?”
“It’s a restaurant now,” I said.
“Oh. Well then, yes. I look forward to meeting you.”
The line went dead.
I set the phone down and leaned back in my chair. Finally, things were starting to move.
Now I just had to get a few things handled before heading over to Silverville to watch my poor, sweet, innocent Nana get fingerprinted.
Today was going to suck.