some sort of Italian Mob situation.”
“What?” Levi laughed. “Mary remembers a phone call during which a couple of names traditionally considered to be Italian are mentioned and suddenly Trent is part of the Mafia? Besides, Trent Everett is hardly a typically Italian name.”
“ Maybe,” I conceded, “but the Mafia angle makes as much sense as anything. This guy moves to town and mostly keeps to himself. He doesn’t make any friends, but in his spare time he runs around town like some sort of contractor Santa. Everyone loves him, but it seems that no one really knows him. He obviously has a past, but no one seems to know what that past might be. My theory is that he was on the run and as a result changed his name and moved to this tiny, out-of-the-way village where no one would find him.”
“Okay, as long as we’re making up stories, where exactly is this Mafia family located?” Levi asked.
“New York,” I provided. “Or somewhere near there. Trent mentioned staying with his grandparents in upstate New York when he was a kid.”
“I guess we could have Zak look into Mob bosses named Giovanni in New York State,” Levi said. “Where is Zak, anyway?”
“Eating ice cream with some one who isn’t me,” I complained as I refilled my mug.
“Come again?” Ellie asked.
I explained Ernie Young’s comment about the ice cream and Zak’s phone call earlier, letting me know that he’d be busy all night and would catch up with me tomorrow. “It’s clear to me that he’s having an affair.”
“I will admit that Zak has been acting a little odd lately,” Ellie contributed, “but there ’s no way he’s having an affair. He’s probably working, just like he told you. Zak isn’t like us. He has a big life. He has contracts with multinational conglomerates worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It’s actually amazing that he spends as much time here in Ashton Falls as he does.”
“I know. It’s just that I miss him , and he keeps promising to slow down.”
“And he will,” Ellie predicted. “He’s only been back in Ashton Falls on a full-time basis for a short time. I’m sure he had a lot of things in the works from before he decided to devote his life to making you happy.”
I smiled. I had to admit he’d been pretty great at doing just that. I understood that he had a busy business life , but the ice cream and the houseguest had Jealous Zoe on full alert.
“What time do you want me to come by Ellie’s on Saturday?” Levi asked Ellie.
“The earlier the better. I hope to be there by seven. I’ll have coffee and homemade muffins waiting.”
“Boysenberry,” Levi requested.
“Boysenberry it is.”
“Did you decide on the paint color?” I asked.
“Not yet. I’m going to go by to talk to your dad tomorrow. He seems to have his finger on the pulse of the paint-and-wallpaper industry.”
“Yeah, he’s the best,” I said , in a tone that conveyed less enthusiasm than the words indicated.
“You still mad about Sunday?” Ellie asked.
“I’m not sure mad is the right word, but yeah, I’m still upset. There’s just something about Blythe. Something I don’t trust. I’m pretty sure she’s trouble; I just don’t know exactly what her game is quite yet.”
“Have you considered,” Levi asked, “that she doesn’t have a game ? Maybe she’s exactly who she says she is.”
“Look , I know you think my problem with Blythe is all wrapped up in my jealousy of any woman who might monopolize my dad’s time. But I promise you that’s not it. There’s something not quite right about her, and I promise you I’ll find out what it is.”
Chapter 5
Thursday, February 6
The snow had temporarily stopped by the next morning, although the sky was heavy with clouds just waiting to dump the couple of feet of snow the National Weather Service predicted would fall by the weekend. Charlie and I took advantage of the brief reprieve to shovel the snow off the decks, then go
“What?” Levi laughed. “Mary remembers a phone call during which a couple of names traditionally considered to be Italian are mentioned and suddenly Trent is part of the Mafia? Besides, Trent Everett is hardly a typically Italian name.”
“ Maybe,” I conceded, “but the Mafia angle makes as much sense as anything. This guy moves to town and mostly keeps to himself. He doesn’t make any friends, but in his spare time he runs around town like some sort of contractor Santa. Everyone loves him, but it seems that no one really knows him. He obviously has a past, but no one seems to know what that past might be. My theory is that he was on the run and as a result changed his name and moved to this tiny, out-of-the-way village where no one would find him.”
“Okay, as long as we’re making up stories, where exactly is this Mafia family located?” Levi asked.
“New York,” I provided. “Or somewhere near there. Trent mentioned staying with his grandparents in upstate New York when he was a kid.”
“I guess we could have Zak look into Mob bosses named Giovanni in New York State,” Levi said. “Where is Zak, anyway?”
“Eating ice cream with some one who isn’t me,” I complained as I refilled my mug.
“Come again?” Ellie asked.
I explained Ernie Young’s comment about the ice cream and Zak’s phone call earlier, letting me know that he’d be busy all night and would catch up with me tomorrow. “It’s clear to me that he’s having an affair.”
“I will admit that Zak has been acting a little odd lately,” Ellie contributed, “but there ’s no way he’s having an affair. He’s probably working, just like he told you. Zak isn’t like us. He has a big life. He has contracts with multinational conglomerates worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It’s actually amazing that he spends as much time here in Ashton Falls as he does.”
“I know. It’s just that I miss him , and he keeps promising to slow down.”
“And he will,” Ellie predicted. “He’s only been back in Ashton Falls on a full-time basis for a short time. I’m sure he had a lot of things in the works from before he decided to devote his life to making you happy.”
I smiled. I had to admit he’d been pretty great at doing just that. I understood that he had a busy business life , but the ice cream and the houseguest had Jealous Zoe on full alert.
“What time do you want me to come by Ellie’s on Saturday?” Levi asked Ellie.
“The earlier the better. I hope to be there by seven. I’ll have coffee and homemade muffins waiting.”
“Boysenberry,” Levi requested.
“Boysenberry it is.”
“Did you decide on the paint color?” I asked.
“Not yet. I’m going to go by to talk to your dad tomorrow. He seems to have his finger on the pulse of the paint-and-wallpaper industry.”
“Yeah, he’s the best,” I said , in a tone that conveyed less enthusiasm than the words indicated.
“You still mad about Sunday?” Ellie asked.
“I’m not sure mad is the right word, but yeah, I’m still upset. There’s just something about Blythe. Something I don’t trust. I’m pretty sure she’s trouble; I just don’t know exactly what her game is quite yet.”
“Have you considered,” Levi asked, “that she doesn’t have a game ? Maybe she’s exactly who she says she is.”
“Look , I know you think my problem with Blythe is all wrapped up in my jealousy of any woman who might monopolize my dad’s time. But I promise you that’s not it. There’s something not quite right about her, and I promise you I’ll find out what it is.”
Chapter 5
Thursday, February 6
The snow had temporarily stopped by the next morning, although the sky was heavy with clouds just waiting to dump the couple of feet of snow the National Weather Service predicted would fall by the weekend. Charlie and I took advantage of the brief reprieve to shovel the snow off the decks, then go
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