Page 14 of Vows of Murder

“No, you’re the guest.” I grabbed the rest of the bags and went through the gate. A package was sitting on my doorstep. After unlocking the door, I picked it up and put it on the table inside. I’d deal with it later. “Emma, let’s go outside for a minute. Then we have to leave again.”

The look I got from my dog indicated that she had heard exactly what I’d said and understood it. She just didn’t like the idea. When she came back inside, I gave her a treat and rubbed her neck. “We’ll be home soon. We just have to go get something to eat.”

Emma curled up in her kitchen bed, her back to me. Message received, but not appreciated. Sometimes I thought my dog was just a little too smartfor her breed.

We got a table easily since it was Monday. As we walked through the room, I saw Molly sitting with a man near the windows. She didn’t look up, so I didn’t interrupt. After we ordered, I saw Amanda staring over at the table. I leaned closer. I figured she’d forgotten where she’d seen Molly before. “That’s the woman who’s looking for her daughter. The one that was at the mission theday Kane died.”

Amanda slowly turned her head. “I recognized her. But the man she’s sitting with? That’s my ex-husband, Vince Penn.”

“I didn’t realize you remarried after Greg’s dad died.” I tried not to stare at the man. He was dressed in a black jacket, dark jeans, and what looked like cowboy boots. His hair was salt-and-pepper gray. I couldn’t see his eyes, as they were focused on the papers in front of him. Whatever he and Amanda were doing was keeping them focused on the discussion and not on the rest of the restaurant. “Is he a lawyer?”

Amanda huffed. “Not even close. He runs a PI firm out of Los Angeles, or he did the last time he called, asking if I wanted to invest my retirement money in his business. It was, according to him, a sure bet. I’d lost enough money during our marriage. I told him that I didn’t plan on losing more. That was our lastconversation.”

“So, maybe Molly hired him to find Carlie?” I smiled at the waitress as she droppedoff our drinks.

“That man couldn’t find his way home,” Amanda said. “Anyway, let’s enjoy our dinner. Hopefully, they’ll leave soon and not see us.”

I nodded as I sipped my soda. “I used to be a family law attorney. I saw a lot of people taking care of the results of bad decisions. There’s just something about love that makes you blind to all thewarning signs.”

“Is that why you and Greg took solong to marry?”

Her question came out of left field and shocked me. I guess it shouldn’t have. She was Greg’s mom. I adjusted the silverware, not looking at her as I spoke. “For me, I wanted to make sure Greg was the one. I’d been married before, and it was more of a partnership than a marriage. So when I met Greg, I wasn’t sure how to deal with allthe feelings.”

“And then there was Sherry. Jim said she gave you guys a hard time.” Amanda paused as the waitress brought our salads. “I’m sorry about that.”

My thoughts went to the letter she carried in her purse from her first daughter-in-law. I wondered if she’d already given it to Greg. I decided it didn’t matter. “Sherry was a challenge, but she was Greg’s issue, not mine. She wanted the Greg she had in her head. Successful, powerful. Not the man in charge of South Cove’s police force. Gregcan do anything he wants, but he loves it here. And so do I.” As I said that, I wondered if that was why he’d snapped at me about the resume. Had he felt like I was pushing him?

“Sherry did want the best for him. No matter if Greg wanted it or not,” Amanda admitted. “When Greg first came to South Cove, he called and told me how happy he was. Of course, Sherry was furious he’d taken this job and not one in LA or with the state police force. She got him to leave South Cove once in a last-ditch effort to save their marriage. Even then she wasn’t satisfied, and that’s when they divorced. It broke Jim’s heart, since he’d justlost his wife.”

“Well, we’re settled here.” I didn’t care if Greg took the new job or not. I just wanted him to be happy. I focused on my salad.

Amanda squeezed my hand. “Ican see that.”

We were almost through with dinner when a shadow appeared on the table. Vince Penn stood in front of Amanda, blocking her exitfrom the table.

“Amanda, what are you doing here? I didn’t think you would ever leave Nebraska.” Vince reached out to hug her, but something in the look Amanda gave him stopped his movement. “I’m up from LA on a case. Maybe we can get together before I head back. It would be great to catch up.”

Amanda shook her head. “Sorry, I’m busy with family events. Greg’s getting married this week.”

“Oh, I hadn’t heard that Sherry left him.” Vince glanced at me, then refocused on Amanda. “I bet you were devastated. Youadored Sherry.”

“I loved my son’s wife. Now he’ll have a new wife that I can adore.” Amanda smiled at me.

I waited for her to introduce me, but she didn’t. After a long second, Vince turned and held out his hand. “I’m Vince Penn, private investigator. Molly tells me you’re Jill Gardner and you run the local bookstore, as well as being engaged to the police chief here. Thatmust be Greg.”

I shook his hand briefly. Deek would say his aura was troublesome. To me, Vince just felt slimy. “All true. Molly is desperate to find Carlie. I hope you’re not capitalizing on her fear.”

His eyes flickered and he studied me. I guess he thought bookstore owner meant I would be a pushover. A Mary Milquetoast. “Molly is well taken care of, believe me.”

I wondered what it cost in Vince’s terms to be well taken care of. I’d have to mention this to Greg. Maybe Vince didn’t have the right papers to be doing private investigation work in South Cove. A girl could hope. “Well, that’s good to hear. It was nice of you to stop by, but we’re in the middle of dinner and a privateconversation.”

This time it was Amanda who stared at me. Finally, she nodded. “Yes, it was nice to see you again, Vince. I probably won’t see you again with the wedding being so encompassing. I hope you havea great life.”

We went back to eating, and after watching us ignore him for a few seconds, Vince turned on his heel and left. I heard him utter a not-so-nice swear word under his breath, but I didn’t worry about it. He was gone and that’s all that mattered. Once he was outside the door, I set my fork down. “Sorry if I ran him off sooner than you’d like.”

“I would have been happy not to talk to him at all. You made him leave. That was brilliant. You’re good at getting your way.” Amanda smiled. “Thank you.”

“I wasn’t always. But I’m learning. Vince seemed—” I wasn’t sure how to say smarmy without hurting Amanda’s feelings.

---