Page 62 of To Die For

Devine’s last meal had been breakfast, which seemed days ago.

“Got it all set up for you in the dinin’ room. Be right in.”

The “dining room” was only two strides away.

There was a place setting for one.

“We already ate,” explained Shore, rubbing his six-pack belly. “You want a beer?”

“Yeah, I would. I had a glass of wine earlier, but didn’t drink a drop of it.”

“Bad wine?” asked Shore.

“Bad company.”

Shore left and then came back with a bottle of Guinness and handed it to him. “They was havin’ a sale.”

“You’re not drinking?”

“Drugs ain’t the only thing we got problems with. The booze, too.”

“So why’d you buy it?”

“For visitors. Kor likes to have things on hand to be hospitable and such. Just ’cause we got an issue, don’t mean other folks can’t drink a beer. But we don’t never buy no liquor.”

Rose came in with a tray of food in bowls along with serving utensils.

“What is it?” asked Devine.

“Cobia, nice light, flaky white fish. But with my secret ingredients it’ll taste better than anythin’ you’ve put in your mouth in the last week, guaranteed.”

He plated the fish, added two scoops of seasoned couscous and some warm succotash and grilled tomatoes; a salad topped with precision-cut avocado slices and strawberries was in a separate bowl.

Devine sat, picked up his knife and fork, and dug in while the two men watched him.

“Damn,” said Devine. “This is better than anything I’ve put in my mouth in the lastmonth. And I was in Italy a month ago.”

Rose and Shore high-fived each other.

“What are your secret ingredients?” asked Devine.

Rose gave him a wink. “If I told you, they wouldn’t be secret no more, but to give a hint, you can work wonders with a balsamic glaze if you get the reduction just right, and sometimes I do a honey-lemon-basil pesto marinade and grill it to the point of what I call extremedeliciousness.”

As Devine began eating again, Shore said, “You mentioned on the phone some questions?”

Devine took a swig of beer and nodded. “I’ve been to Ricketts, where Dwayne and Alice died. The autopsy report isn’t complete yet; they’re waiting on tox results. But I think they’re going to stick to the drug overdose story.”

“That is bullshit,” exclaimed Rose.

“I know. The mayor there is married to the police chief, who’s about thirty years older than she is. The town seems to live way beyond its means. You two ever been to Ricketts, or Asotin County?”

They both shook their heads.

“What doyouthink is goin’ on there?” asked Shore.

“I’m not certain but something is off, maybe way off. Now, Betsy has a court hearing coming up. It has to do with Glass wanting to be her guardian.”

“That man can’t get Betsy,” said Rose. “No tellin’ what he might do to her.”

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