Chapter 17
Lille seated us as soon as we walked in the door. “Where’s your little friend? Maybe she wants to know more about Dom’s family tragedy.”
“Beth is working, and she’s almost my sister-in-law,” I said, hoping to remind Lille that she was engaged. “We’re heading over to the library later today to get more information about this cult. You know she’s writing a book, right? And she’s leaving on Monday.”
Lille’s eyes flickered a bit when I said Beth was leaving on Monday. Whatever Lille thought was going on, at least the problem would be ended when Beth got on that plane.
“I didn’t realize Dom’s sister was in a cult.” I softened my voice a little since Lille was still standing there. “I bet when the New Hope group moved here it must have been hard on him.”
“And if you’d known, you would have looked at Dom for Kane’s murder too. Is that what you’re saying?” Lille challenged my connection attempt, slapping the menus on the table.
“No, I just meant it must have been hard for him and his family to have them open shop here.” I stood my ground. I was trying to be nice, but if Lille couldn’t hear my words, there was nothing I could do.
Instead of responding, she nodded. “He was a mess when New Hope first moved here. I’m sure it was hard on his mom, too. Carrie will take your order.”
I watched as Lille went back to the hostess stand, then turned away before she could see me watching. That was almost the most civilized conversation we’d ever had.
“She’s warming up to you, I see,” Amy snickered behind her menu. “Soon, you two will be best friends and braiding each other’s hair while you talk about boys.”
“I don’t think we’ll ever be friends, but I’d like to stop fearing being banned from eating Tiny’s food forever.
” I set my menu down. Since Beth and I were eating out tonight, I was going to get Tiny’s fried chicken salad.
It had probably as many calories as the fish-and-chips, but at least it had some vegetables to make it seem a little more healthy.
Carrie came over and took our order. And for the second time that Amy and I ate together, she ordered something healthy. Baked fish and broccoli with a side salad and just water. I was having iced tea. I wasn’t that upset that I needed a milkshake.
Carrie left and I studied my friend. “What’s up with you?”
She dropped her gaze and moved her fork from one side of the table to the other. “Nothing. Why?”
“Just that you’ve been acting weird. And, come to think of it, you didn’t have coffee at the business-to-business meeting. Are you pregnant?” My eyes widened as I said the words. “Or sick? Tell me you’re not sick. You haven’t been surfing in forever, either.”
Amy narrowed her eyes. “How do you know that?”
“When you’re out surfing on the weekend, you come in on Monday or Tuesday and have a tan.
Besides, you always brag about how amazing the surf is.
I know Deek hasn’t gone lately. He’s pale and gaining some weight from being at his desk all the time.
” I stopped talking and waited for Amy to say something.
Finally, after Carrie dropped off our drinks, Amy leaned forward.
“Just between us, Justin and I are trying to get pregnant. I’m not right now.
But the books say if you’re healthy going in, you have a better chance to have a healthy baby.
So we’ve been working out at home and saving money, just in case I need some time off when the baby comes. ”
I should have known that my intense friend and her equally intense husband would have an intense plan for creating their family. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Don’t be happy yet. It’s been six months since I’ve been off the pill and no baby yet. Maybe I missed my fertile years.” Amy grimaced as she sipped her water.
“I’d blame him first,” I said as Carrie set my salad in front of me. “Carrie, this looks amazing. Please tell Tiny he’s a god.”
“Not in this lifetime. The guy already has a big enough head. Dom’s been trying to get him to run his kitchen too.” She sat Amy’s lunch in front of her. “I don’t see you guys out as much lately.”
“The holidays.” Amy waved the statement away. “Jill’s too busy with the bookstore now that her aunt has turned cruising into a lifestyle.”
Carrie shook her head. “That’s not the reason, but whatever. Hey, Jill, Chris told me to say thanks for coming with her last night. She didn’t think she could have done it alone. I don’t know how she thinks she can run the bar.”
After Carrie left, Amy waved at me with her fork. “What’s Carrie talking about you and Chris? I was kidding about you replacing me as your best friend. Although Beth’s auditioning for the part, I think. When is she going back to Nebraska again?”
I chuckled. “Beth is leaving on Monday. Chris just needed someone to go with her when she went to the bar to figure out what she needed to do to reopen.”
“Seriously? She thinks Greg’s just going to let her reopen?” She looked up from her meal. “Oops. Forget I said that.”
“Please don’t tell me that she moved up on Greg’s suspect list. The woman’s a wreck.” I carefully stacked all the bits of salad, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and chicken on my fork to make it a full bite. When Amy didn’t answer, I looked up and saw her biting her lip. “What?”
“I can’t tell you anything I see on the copy machine or what I overhear.
I already got in trouble with the mayor about letting something out.
I like my job.” She put her fork down. “Look, I love you and would step in front of a speeding train for you, almost. But Justin and I are trying to make a life here. If I lose my job, I don’t know if we could keep the house.
I need to be more discreet about Greg’s cases. Especially with you.”
I set my fork down. I hadn’t realized that Amy was getting pressure from anyone about letting me see things. “And Greg approved the blueprints before I even asked.”
She nodded. “He’s got a tight hold on information for this case. Why do you think Toby hasn’t been around? There are too many connections here. The district attorney even questioned your involvement in the tournament.”
“I was a suspect? Because I helped set up the charity event?” Now I was floored. What was Greg thinking?
“Not for long. The guy’s new and wants to be known for being tough on crime.
I think he’s running for governor soon. Which has the mayor all up in arms since that’s his and Tina’s eventual goal.
So like I said, access to information has been tight.
” She picked up her fork and ate a piece of broccoli.
“I’ll tell you one thing though. Greg was on this guy’s butt as soon as he brought up your name.
He read him the riot act and the guy just folded like a bad hand in cards.
Esmeralda told me that after the meeting. ”
“If he’s going to point a finger at everyone who was involved in the event, most of the full-time residents of South Cove were there.
This is stupid.” I wanted to call Greg and yell at him, but it wasn’t his fault.
I’d put myself in this guy’s line of sight by always trying to solve the murder before Greg did. Who did I think I was? Nancy Drew?
“I’m sorry I put you in this position.” I smiled at Amy, who looked like she was going to have a coronary. “Let’s talk about something else. How’s the house remodeling going?”
After lunch with Amy, I ran the beach with Emma.
It was chilly and she’d already been walking with Beth, but my head needed clearing.
I didn’t want to get Amy in trouble, especially not cause her to lose her job.
But we’d been able to talk about everything for years.
Now, she hadn’t even told me that she and Justin were trying for a family.
And she was fearful of being fired because of me.
Amy was my best friend. If we couldn’t talk to each other, then what was the point?
I went home and worked on the bills. If I was going to be depressed, I might as well do something productive.
The door opened at 3:10 and Beth came in chatting. “I adore Zara and Andrew. How in the world did you find two people who were so perfect of a fit for the bookstore?”
“I have good employees who have good contacts.” I was on the couch, watching an old romantic comedy Christmas movie that always perked up my mood. Today, even the movie wasn’t working. “I don’t know if I’m up to going to Bakerstown today. Maybe I should just sit this investigation out.”
Beth frowned and went to sit by me. She moved the bowl of red and green M&Ms out of my lap and pushed my hair out of my eyes.
I still had my running clothes on, except for the sneakers, which were in the middle of the living room floor where I’d kicked them off.
“What are you talking about? You live for these investigations. And you’re good at seeing past what Greg sees through his law enforcement filter. Besides, you love it.”
I couldn’t help it, I started crying. “Amy’s been threatened with her job if she leaked information. Toby’s avoiding me. And Greg was looking at me as a suspect.”
“One, I don’t think the last one is true at all.
And two, you saw Toby at Thanksgiving. Three, I agree that Amy is in a hard position.
She has to deal with confidential information all the time.
Besides, she never really tells you things, does she?
Isn’t it more that she confirms what you know?
Or that she lets you look at files that are open under the Public Information Act?
Besides, you’re not out there publishing what you learn or suspect like your friend Darla.
” Beth wiped my face with a clean tissue.
“I thought you were stronger than this. You’ve been the one holding me up when I thought I needed to give up my career for love. Now you crumble over one lunch?”