Page 29 of Trouble Walked In

Carrie laughed. “It’s my favorite pastime.”

“It’s imperative that Della go on this tour. Any idea how I can make her see that? Do you know what went wrong?”

“Well, now. That’s a tough one to answer. We’re going to need inspiration.” She crossed to a paneled door and opened it to reveal a temperature-controlled wine fridge with every nook and cranny filled with bottles of wine. She selected one from a crate on the floor and brought it back out.

“We’ve all been trying to figure that one out. As far as I can tell, Della doesn’t know what’s wrong. Until she sorts it out herself, there’s no way the rest of us will.”

Carrie twisted the lid off the bottle of wine with a flick of her wrist and poured two glasses. She pushed one in front of him. “Cheers.”

They both sipped. Renic made a noise of appreciation. “This is really good.”

“Of course it is. It’s one of ours.” Carrie turned the bottle around so he could see the label. Tetrick Riesling.

“Nice.” He took a longer sip, savoring the bright apple notes. “I can see why Lizzie wanted a piece of this place.”

Carrie poured a little more wine in each glass, then put the lid back on the bottle and set it aside. “You think she came here for the wine?”

Renic looked up. “I think it didn’t hurt.”

Her lips twitched. “Nobody stays in upstate New York just for the wine. They usually come for a weekend and then leave before it snows.”

“So why doyouthink she came here?” he asked, curiosity once again driving him away from his goal.

“Now that’s something you should ask Lizzie.”

“Why do you say that?”

Her eyes gleamed with the secret she refused to tell. “It’s her story, not mine.”

The verbal volleyball game was tied, as far as he could determine. Time to put her on the defensive for a change.

“What broughtyouhere, Carrie?”

“I was born here. Well, not here in Geneva, but in a little town not far from here.” She smirked as if she knew exactly what game he was playing.

“Why did you come back?”

Her eyebrows lifted a little. “What makes you think I left?”

Renic swirled a carrot in the gourmet dip she’d created and gestured with it. “Nobody who makes dip like this learned how to do it in upstate New York. No offense.”

She bobbed her head as if conceding the point. “None taken. I did spend a few years in Paris before I came back to help raise my nephews.”

“Paris. That’s a long way to go to learn how to cook, but I applaud the effort.” He saluted her with a dip-laden carrot.

The corners of her eyes crinkled. “I think I’m beginning to see some of that charm I’ve heard so much about.”

It was his turn to raise an eyebrow. “Oh, really? Who told you I was charming?”

“Well, she didn’t exactly use that word. But I’ve been around long enough to know how to read between the lines.”

He shouldn’t be asking about Lizzie, but he was fascinatedto know that she’d described him as charming to someone else. He mulled that over, then mentally kicked himself for being an idiot. This information-gathering session wasn’t getting him anywhere he needed to go. Della was the reason he was here. Lizzie Bellamy was not his business.

“How has she seemed to you?” he asked.

“Della or Lizzie?” Carrie’s eyes glinted with amusement.

“Della,” he said firmly.

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