Page 18 of The White Picket Fence

Charlotte nodded soberly, keeping her lips from twitching. “I promise. Now, I need to go over and get Dottie’s slippers and robe.”

“And the book you’re going to read to her.” Mrs. Murphy’s eyes lit up with an unholy glee. “I’d love to be a fly on her hospital room wall.”

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

“She’s reading a romance. A steamy one. She’ll probably want you to skip to the really juicy parts.”

Charlotte laughed. “If that’s what she wants, that’s what I’ll do.”

* * *

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tuesday, March 29, 6:55 p.m.

Tino pushed awayfrom the wall he’d been leaning on when Charlotte got out of the Uber in front of the restaurant. He’d been afraid she wouldn’t come, but here she was, looking as tentative as he felt.

This was probably a bad idea, seeing her again like this. He could have kept things casual. Professional even. He could have treated her as he did every family member of every victim or witness he’d interviewed for a sketch.

He could have simply said goodbye and wished her a nice life when he’d seen her at the hospital once again that afternoon after finishing his interview with Mrs. Johnson.

He could have told Charlotte that he was busy tonight, that something had come up. He could have canceled this dinner.

But he hadn’t done any of those things because she’d looked so damn frightened and vulnerable. Someone had tried to break into her aunt’s house during the night, destroying Mrs. J’s flower beds in an apparent rage because he couldn’t pry the window open.

That Philly PD hadn’t informed her as Mrs. J’s next of kin was something he’d given Nick Lawrence a ration of shit about. Nick had agreed with him, calling Charlotte with a personal apology. Yes, Philly PD was busy, but they’d owed her a heads up.

Nick had also told her that he was checking on her attacker back in Memphis but hadn’t yet heard back from the prison where the man was serving his sentence.

The gratitude in Charlotte’s eyes when she’d realized that Tino had gone to bat for her with the Philly PD had been like a physical punch to the gut. She’d been dealing with too many things all alone.

Tino could help with some of those things. Because that’s what friends did for one another, and they were friends. Or they had been.

Hopefully they would be again.

She paused at the curb, looking around warily before approaching him. “I thought you’d be inside already,” she said.

“I confirmed our reservation,” he said, “then came out here to wait.”

Her lips quirked. “You thought I might not show up.”

He shrugged. “It crossed my mind.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you.” She looked over her shoulder again with a slight frown. “Let’s go inside. It’s chilly tonight.”

He took her arm, leading her to the door. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just jumpy. I see shadows and it freaks me out. Just me being paranoid.”

“I don’t blame you, especially after the attempted break-in last night. I’m glad you weren’t there.” It had been a small comfort, knowing that she’d been safe in Mrs. J’s hospital room all night. But she couldn’t stay there forever. “Where are you going to stay tonight?”

“My apartment, I think. Marian Gargano was so nice to get me a more comfortable chair, but my bones are telling me to sleep in a bed tonight, and I’ll be sorry if I don’t listen to my bones. The nurses said they’d call me if Dottie has any problems during the night. I’m a light sleeper, so the phone will wake me up.”

Tino didn’t want her alone in her apartment, but she lifted her chin, as if challenging him to try arguing. He wisely kept his words to himself as he followed Charlotte into the restaurant.

“We’re ready now,” Tino said to the woman behind the podium.

The woman grinned at him. “Prepare yourself. Polina is here tonight. You’re going to get hugged.”

---