Page 10 of Carlos: Trilogy: Part Two

Zoe turned to Keys, who was so enthralled by whatever he was doing on his computer that she had to wonder if he’d even heard anything of their conversation or her panic attack. “Keys?” she asked to get his attention.

“Huh?” He looked up, almost startled to see them. “Oh right. So I have an alternate solution. We can fake your marriage, but we kill off your husband.”

Zoe was confused, because wasn’t that already the truth? “What?”

Carlos moved around to retake his seat and Zoe scooted on her chair to face forward again.

“No one outside of the club except Carlos knew about you being on property. The story given to him was that you were Jenna’s widowed niece.” Keys tapped his screen. “Jenna does have a sister—or did. She died about fifteen years ago. It says she didn’t have any kids, but I can easily change that. Make it look like you came to live with Steel and Jenna as a teen after your mom died. Then you left, went to college, got married, had a kid, and then your husband died. Giving you the tie to Jenna is probably more realistic than Carlos keeping a wife hidden away from the town for the past four-ish years. Jenna and Steel only moved to town six years ago when the club was formed.”

Keys started typing as he talked. His fingers moved so fast across the screen Zoe got dizzy from watching them and had to look away. Suddenly, he slammed his computer closed. Zoe jumped, startled. Keys grabbed his bag, shoving his laptop inside, and practically ran out the door. A second later, the door opened back up and a flustered Keys returned. “Gotta go, but I’ll work on this. Bye.”

And then he left again.

“Is that normal behavior for him?” Zoe asked Carlos. She really didn’t know Keys all that well.

Carlos shrugged. “It’s not surprising behavior,” he said offhandedly.

“So what now?” she asked. “We didn’t really get any answers.”

“Well, now,” Carlos turned her face towards him, “I kiss you and give you a proper greeting after being away from you all afternoon.”

She smiled and leaned into his kiss.

“How about you, Kyle, and I go out for dinner?”

“What about your mom?”

“We can invite her, but I’d like to spend some time with Kyle. Get to know him. For now, we keep with the story that you’re Jenna’s niece if asked.” He moved a strand of her hair out of her face. “What are you in the mood for?”

Zoe didn’t have to think about it. “Pizza?”

“Pizza it is.”

CHAPTER 4

Though Mount Grove was a small town, they had their staples. Mabel Weiss owned Loafin’ Around, one of the best bakeries in the state. The fact that she was also the mother of Danny, one of Carlos’s deputies, was just a bonus because all law enforcement got a discount. The diner where Carlos, Jeff, Steel, Lucky, and Bulldog had met for their meeting as well as where Carlos and Zoe had had their one and only date was one of the businesses owned by the Groveton family, the founding family of their small town. While the name of the business was Groveton Diner, everyone referred to it just as ‘the’ diner because it was the only one. Others had tried to build but they were all run out of business. Even the McDonald’s that had been built just outside the town’s boarders had eventually closed because no one wanted fast food over the diner’s food.

The only other restaurant that could compete with the diner was the pizzeria, which was owned by Tony DeLuca. He was one of the only residents in Mount Grove who spoke flawless Italian, having immigrated from Italy when he was in his early twenties. Unfortunately, his wife, who had been a native of Mount Grove, had died in a car accident on the highway almost a decade ago. Tony had remained in Mount Grove, saying it was where he felt closest to “Bella Mia”. When Louisa and Carlos had been struggling to learn Italian in preparation for their pending trip eight years ago, they’d come to Tony for help.

Carlos held the door open for Zoe and Kyle. The aroma of tomatoes, bread, and spices flooded their senses. The diner knew it was beat in one category: pizza. It was the reason it had been taken off of their menu when Carlos had still been a kid.

Kyle’s eyes went wide as he took in the establishment. The booths were maroon and worn with traditional red and white checkered tablecloths. A real candle rested at the center of each table with a narrow vase holding a single flower. Eight booths lined the two large windows separated by the door. Six four-seater tables were spread out in the center of the room. What had once been the milkshake bar of a failed restaurant was now a quick service bar with metal stools.

“Booth or table?” Carlos asked.

As good as Tony’s pizza was, residents rarely ate in. The place was too small and it was known that service was slow. Tony was the only cook and he only kept two or three servers on hand to work the front and the phones. Most of the town got pick up or called for delivery because, despite the wait, Tony’s pizza was worth it. Tony had finally broken down about five years ago and hired a driver to work deliveries in Mount Grove. He did not “fiddle” with apps or technology.

Per Tony, “If you want a Tony’s pizza, you have to talk to Tony.”

“Booth,” Zoe said. There was only one other family seated in the restaurant. However, there were a number of people at the bar waiting on their takeout orders.

Carlos acknowledged all of them with a wave or a chin lift as he led them down to the far booth. He seated himself so he was facing the dining room.

“Do you mind watching Kyle?” Zoe pointed to the ladies’ room door. “I can take him with me?—”

“We’re fine,” Carlos assured her. She helped Kyle up onto the booth opposite of Carlos. “Can I order you a drink?”

“Water for me and milk or juice for Kyle please.”

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