Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
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.
Chapter 18
The air outside carried that mix of spring thaw and fresh rain with damp pavement, cold pine, and the faint sweetness of wet grass. Oliver walked me down to my car around lunchtime, saying he wanted to head to the diner for sandwiches.
“Since both Clark and Pauley want to work through lunch, don’t forget to remind Pauley that he has class this afternoon,” I said, adjusting my bag.
“No problem,” Oliver replied, shifting his weight on the cracked pavement.
I looked him over. His leather jacket looked suspiciously like Aiden’s, but it was newer, stiffer, and still carried that strong scent of fresh hide. “What’s up?”
“It’s harvest time on the farm,” he said.
It was that time of year. “Oh, right. I didn’t think of that.” Oliver had moved in with a local cranky farmer with a pure heart. They’d both been lonely, and it turned out to be a good match. “You need more time off?”