into more furniture rearranging. Lily wasn’t about to spend time searching for him. He had a key; he’d find his way back to the condo. She grabbed her bag and headed toward the exit, keeping her eyes down, avoiding eye contact, lest anyone try to start a conversation.
Lily vaguely recalled a restaurant with a bar, located on Palmetto, near Division . . . or was it Main? Who knew what the place was like now, but after a day like today’s, Lily wasn’t feeling particularly choosy.
“Dr. Banyon, just a minute please.”
Lily glanced at the hand detaining her. “Yes, Mr. Ferrucci?” she inquired, resisting the urge to shrug him off. A few years ago, in Jamaica, she’d made friends with a Rastafarian blackbelt named Louis, who’d taught her a truly neat trick that would have Pete Ferrucci on his knees and howling in about three seconds flat.
Ferrucci misinterpreted the reason for her smile. “I’m glad you didn’t take anything I said during the meeting personally, Dr. Banyon. As I’m sure you realize, this is an incredibly delicate issue for our community. As chairman of the Board of Commerce, I feel obliged to represent the . . . how shall I put it? The business side of any debate.”
And in so doing hack my research team’s reputation to shreds.
“I understand perfectly, Mr. Ferrucci.”
“Fine, fine,” he replied with a joviality that grated. “You know, I hadn’t realized you were a local until Sean mentioned it.” He paused, his brow furrowing. “Banyon, Banyon . . . funny, I moved here years ago, but that’s not a name I recognize.”
Ferrucci probably had the Who’s Who of Coral Beach memorized, a to z . Lily clenched her molars, knowing what was coming. “My grandmother is May Ellen Farrady.”
It would have been pointless to conceal his astonishment. “You don’t say! Why, that means you must be Kaye’s daughter.”
“That’s right, Mr. Ferrucci.”
“A marvelous woman, simply delightful. I met her a few times before she moved to Palm Beach. Your grandmother, too.” Lily felt him scrutinizing her even more closely. “I, uh, should have seen the resemblance before.”
Was he joking? “I take after my father’s side of the family,” Lily informed him curtly. “He left town twenty-eight years ago, so unless you’ve visited Oslo recently, I doubt you’d have met him.” She turned back toward the door. “I’m sorry to cut our conversation short, but it’s been a long day and I’m hungry and tired.”
“Of course. I won’t keep you. If you’re looking for a nice restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere, let me recommend the Blue Dolphin, at the corner of Palmetto and Main. It’s quite popular, but if you tell the maître d’ I sent you, you’ll get a table immediately. The Dolphin’s recently come under new management.” He preened with self-importance.
Well, she could scratch that place from her list. Better to try the opposite side of town.
“Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to invite you as my personal guest to the Dolphin,” he continued. “Unfortunately, however, I have a previous commitment this evening. A rain check, perhaps?” The smile Ferrucci gave her was unctuous.
“You’re too kind,” she returned with an equally false one.
“Before I forget, Dr. Banyon, I wanted to tell you that if there’s anything, anything at all that you need, don’t hesitate to buzz the management office.”
Lily regarded Ferrucci blankly.
“Oh, that’s right!” He laughed. “You haven’t lived here in quite some time. The apartments you and your assistants are staying in? I own the condominium complex.”
“The apartments we’re using belong to you?”
“I feel it’s my civic duty to offer space to the town,” he said modestly.
And make a neat bundle on the side. “Isn’t that convenient?” she murmured. Now I’ll know who to call for the exterminator. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to duck into the ladies’ room and wash off
Lily vaguely recalled a restaurant with a bar, located on Palmetto, near Division . . . or was it Main? Who knew what the place was like now, but after a day like today’s, Lily wasn’t feeling particularly choosy.
“Dr. Banyon, just a minute please.”
Lily glanced at the hand detaining her. “Yes, Mr. Ferrucci?” she inquired, resisting the urge to shrug him off. A few years ago, in Jamaica, she’d made friends with a Rastafarian blackbelt named Louis, who’d taught her a truly neat trick that would have Pete Ferrucci on his knees and howling in about three seconds flat.
Ferrucci misinterpreted the reason for her smile. “I’m glad you didn’t take anything I said during the meeting personally, Dr. Banyon. As I’m sure you realize, this is an incredibly delicate issue for our community. As chairman of the Board of Commerce, I feel obliged to represent the . . . how shall I put it? The business side of any debate.”
And in so doing hack my research team’s reputation to shreds.
“I understand perfectly, Mr. Ferrucci.”
“Fine, fine,” he replied with a joviality that grated. “You know, I hadn’t realized you were a local until Sean mentioned it.” He paused, his brow furrowing. “Banyon, Banyon . . . funny, I moved here years ago, but that’s not a name I recognize.”
Ferrucci probably had the Who’s Who of Coral Beach memorized, a to z . Lily clenched her molars, knowing what was coming. “My grandmother is May Ellen Farrady.”
It would have been pointless to conceal his astonishment. “You don’t say! Why, that means you must be Kaye’s daughter.”
“That’s right, Mr. Ferrucci.”
“A marvelous woman, simply delightful. I met her a few times before she moved to Palm Beach. Your grandmother, too.” Lily felt him scrutinizing her even more closely. “I, uh, should have seen the resemblance before.”
Was he joking? “I take after my father’s side of the family,” Lily informed him curtly. “He left town twenty-eight years ago, so unless you’ve visited Oslo recently, I doubt you’d have met him.” She turned back toward the door. “I’m sorry to cut our conversation short, but it’s been a long day and I’m hungry and tired.”
“Of course. I won’t keep you. If you’re looking for a nice restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere, let me recommend the Blue Dolphin, at the corner of Palmetto and Main. It’s quite popular, but if you tell the maître d’ I sent you, you’ll get a table immediately. The Dolphin’s recently come under new management.” He preened with self-importance.
Well, she could scratch that place from her list. Better to try the opposite side of town.
“Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to invite you as my personal guest to the Dolphin,” he continued. “Unfortunately, however, I have a previous commitment this evening. A rain check, perhaps?” The smile Ferrucci gave her was unctuous.
“You’re too kind,” she returned with an equally false one.
“Before I forget, Dr. Banyon, I wanted to tell you that if there’s anything, anything at all that you need, don’t hesitate to buzz the management office.”
Lily regarded Ferrucci blankly.
“Oh, that’s right!” He laughed. “You haven’t lived here in quite some time. The apartments you and your assistants are staying in? I own the condominium complex.”
“The apartments we’re using belong to you?”
“I feel it’s my civic duty to offer space to the town,” he said modestly.
And make a neat bundle on the side. “Isn’t that convenient?” she murmured. Now I’ll know who to call for the exterminator. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to duck into the ladies’ room and wash off
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