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Authors: Lorraine Bartlett
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charm made her feel giddy with infatuation. It was only when Andy informed her that Seth found guys more attractive than gals that she realized his overtures were of a friendly—not romantic—nature. In the intervening time, he’d become her best friend.
“We ought to take separate cars,” Katie said, grabbing her sweater from the peg behind the office door. “Afterward we can head home without coming back here.”
“Good idea,” Seth agreed. “I’ll tell Rose.”
The phone rang.
“I’ll meet you at Del’s,” he said, and sketched a wave as he exited the office.
The phone shrilled again and Katie grabbed it. “Artisans Alley. Katie Bonner speaking.”
“Mrs. Bonner, we need to talk. Tonight.”
Katie couldn’t immediately place the woman’s voice. “Who is this?”
“I don’t have much time,” the woman insisted. “Now—and not on the telephone.”
“Now’s not good. How about eight o’clock at Del’s Diner?” What better place for a rendezvous? A public place, well lit, with plenty of witnesses. Katie shook herself. Polly’s paranoia must be contagious.
“Okay, eight o’clock,” the woman said.
Katie heard a click, and then silence. It was only as she put the receiver down that she realized to whom the voice belonged: Barbie Gordon.
The chicken and biscuit special at Del’s did not disappoint, and in fact, the portions were so generous Katie and Rose would each have enough leftovers for a hearty lunch. Katie didn’t tell Rose or Seth about the phone call she’d received prior to her leaving Artisans Alley, knowing they’d both insist on staying and their presence might scare Barbie off. Instead, she surreptitiously looked at her watch at least a hundred times, hoping she could get rid of her dinner companions before the appointed hour.
Seth insisted they all have dessert—cherry pie for him, and lime Jell-O for the ladies—and over a second cup of coffee, Katie told him about her plan to attend the press conference scheduled for Rick Jeremy the next day.
Seth frowned. “You really should inform Detective Davenport about Jeremy and his relationship with Heather.”
“Why?” Katie asked. “He gets paid to investigate. I’m willing to let him do it.”
“That’s my point.
He
should be the one to talk to the man. Especially if you consider him a suspect in Heather’s death.”
“We’re certainly not about to accuse Jeremy of anything as heinous as murder,” Rose said, although Katie doubted her sincerity on that account.
Seth wasn’t easily fooled. “Are you sure showing up Davenport isn’t part of your motivation?”
“Why would I want to do that?” Katie said.
“Because he’s treated you, and now Rose, badly.”
Betty, the portly night waitress, reappeared and hovered with a carafe of coffee. “Can I get you folks anything else?”
Rose pushed back her thick white coffee mug. “Any more and I won’t sleep tonight.”
“Same here,” Seth said. “Can we have the check?”
Katie, too, felt bloated and ready to explode, but needed an excuse to linger. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to stayfor another cup.” She proffered her cup as Betty handed Seth the bill.
“I’ll wait with you,” Seth volunteered.
“Andy said he might take a break and meet me here right about now,” Katie lied.
Rose’s smile was conspiratorial. “We don’t want to stand in the way of romance,” she said and winked at Seth as she slipped out of the booth. Seth helped her with her coat. As Rose fastened the row of buttons, he peeled several bills from his wallet, setting them under his empty water glass.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Katie,” Seth said, and leaned down to plant a brief kiss on her cheek.
Rose waved good-bye, letting Seth escort her out.
Katie watched as her two friends left the diner, then painfully got to her feet. “I’ll be right back,” she told the waitress, and hightailed it to the back of the restaurant and the ladies’
“We ought to take separate cars,” Katie said, grabbing her sweater from the peg behind the office door. “Afterward we can head home without coming back here.”
“Good idea,” Seth agreed. “I’ll tell Rose.”
The phone rang.
“I’ll meet you at Del’s,” he said, and sketched a wave as he exited the office.
The phone shrilled again and Katie grabbed it. “Artisans Alley. Katie Bonner speaking.”
“Mrs. Bonner, we need to talk. Tonight.”
Katie couldn’t immediately place the woman’s voice. “Who is this?”
“I don’t have much time,” the woman insisted. “Now—and not on the telephone.”
“Now’s not good. How about eight o’clock at Del’s Diner?” What better place for a rendezvous? A public place, well lit, with plenty of witnesses. Katie shook herself. Polly’s paranoia must be contagious.
“Okay, eight o’clock,” the woman said.
Katie heard a click, and then silence. It was only as she put the receiver down that she realized to whom the voice belonged: Barbie Gordon.
The chicken and biscuit special at Del’s did not disappoint, and in fact, the portions were so generous Katie and Rose would each have enough leftovers for a hearty lunch. Katie didn’t tell Rose or Seth about the phone call she’d received prior to her leaving Artisans Alley, knowing they’d both insist on staying and their presence might scare Barbie off. Instead, she surreptitiously looked at her watch at least a hundred times, hoping she could get rid of her dinner companions before the appointed hour.
Seth insisted they all have dessert—cherry pie for him, and lime Jell-O for the ladies—and over a second cup of coffee, Katie told him about her plan to attend the press conference scheduled for Rick Jeremy the next day.
Seth frowned. “You really should inform Detective Davenport about Jeremy and his relationship with Heather.”
“Why?” Katie asked. “He gets paid to investigate. I’m willing to let him do it.”
“That’s my point.
He
should be the one to talk to the man. Especially if you consider him a suspect in Heather’s death.”
“We’re certainly not about to accuse Jeremy of anything as heinous as murder,” Rose said, although Katie doubted her sincerity on that account.
Seth wasn’t easily fooled. “Are you sure showing up Davenport isn’t part of your motivation?”
“Why would I want to do that?” Katie said.
“Because he’s treated you, and now Rose, badly.”
Betty, the portly night waitress, reappeared and hovered with a carafe of coffee. “Can I get you folks anything else?”
Rose pushed back her thick white coffee mug. “Any more and I won’t sleep tonight.”
“Same here,” Seth said. “Can we have the check?”
Katie, too, felt bloated and ready to explode, but needed an excuse to linger. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to stayfor another cup.” She proffered her cup as Betty handed Seth the bill.
“I’ll wait with you,” Seth volunteered.
“Andy said he might take a break and meet me here right about now,” Katie lied.
Rose’s smile was conspiratorial. “We don’t want to stand in the way of romance,” she said and winked at Seth as she slipped out of the booth. Seth helped her with her coat. As Rose fastened the row of buttons, he peeled several bills from his wallet, setting them under his empty water glass.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Katie,” Seth said, and leaned down to plant a brief kiss on her cheek.
Rose waved good-bye, letting Seth escort her out.
Katie watched as her two friends left the diner, then painfully got to her feet. “I’ll be right back,” she told the waitress, and hightailed it to the back of the restaurant and the ladies’
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