Page 92 of Spilling the Tea

“It might be some family heirloom, but I know who it originally belonged to. I understand it’s one of Cox Jewelers custom design pieces.”

“Is it?” Felicia Laverne asked, trying to sound uninterested.

“You know it is. Maybe I need to visit you, Ms. Felicia and refresh your memory. Which of your sons are you freeloading off this month?”

Zoey was out of her seat in a flash. “You are out of line and showing a lack of respect.”

Felicia Laverne reached out and patted Zoey’s hand. “Don’t get upset on my behalf, dear. Ravena has never displayed any manners, which is why it was meant for her to never be a part of my family.”

“I would have been if I hadn’t left Chance. Now I am back, and he and I will get back together, regardless of whether you want me in your family or not.” She shifted her gaze to Zoey. “Don’t waste your time trying to get him interested in you because it won’t happen.” Ravena then turned and walked out of the café.

Zoey stared at the door the woman had walked out of before glancing at Ms. Felicia. “What was all that she was saying about my necklace?”

“She’s just spouting off about stuff she knows nothing about. I never knew what Chance saw in that girl.”

Zoey did. “He fell in love with her. When you truly love someone, you don’t always see their faults.”

Ms. Felicia stared at her for a moment, nodded and said, “You’re probably right, dear.”

“Mama Laverne?”

Felicia Laverne looked up from her knitting. “Yes, Diamond?”

“Alex is here to see you.”

“Please send him in.” Alexander Maxwell, a top-notch private detective, was married to her granddaughter, Christy.

“Mama Laverne, I got your voice mail message.”

She placed her knitting aside. “Alexander, please have a seat.”

The grin on his face meant he found her order amusing. “What can I do for you, Mama Laverne?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard about the young woman I’m meeting with to help restore her memory.”

Alex grinned. “The one who’s caught Chance’s eye?”

She rolled her eyes. “Chance needs to keep his eyes to himself. The last thing Zoey needs is to involve herself with Chance’s issues. Her focus should be on regaining her memory.”

Alex leaned back in his chair and stretched his long legs before him. “If you called for me to do a background check on Dr. Zoey Pritchard, it’s been done.”

Felicia Laverne frowned. “Who asked you to do such a thing? Clayton?”

“No one asked me to do it. I hadn’t met her and was curious. I haven’t mentioned the report to anyone, not even Christy.”

Felicia Laverne nodded. “That’s not why I asked you here. There was nothing about Zoey I felt wasn’t trustworthy. From your report, you know she was raised by her aunt after her parents’ death.”

“Yes, Paulina Pritchard.”

“I want to know everything there is to know about the woman. For some reason, she didn’t treat Zoey the way I think she should have, withholding information that might help her regain her memory. I have a gut feeling there was more to it than her not liking Zoey’s mother.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes, I ran into Ravena Boyle today, and she wasn’t at all nice.”

Alex sat up in his chair. “What do you mean she wasn’t nice?”

Felicia told him about the incident with Zoey at the café.

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