Page 88 of A Vintage of Regret
Grant raised his fist, knocked on the door, and didn’t once glance over his shoulder. That had to be a good thing.
The front door opened.
“Grant. I’m so glad you called. Things have been so tense since Riley, came back to town, and this other business about… well, you know. I’ve been wanting to chat.”Elizabeth’s voice, sweet and lacquered, slid through the wire.
“Me too,”he said lightly.
“Come in.”A little laugh.“I just brewed a fresh pot of coffee.”
Erin stiffened. “Oh, god. No. She wouldn’t? Would she?”
“That would be insane,” Sandy muttered.
“No coffee for me,”Grant said.“Already had some.”
“Thank God,” Riley whispered, her voice shaky with relief.
“I baked this morning. Blueberry muffins. Your favorite,”Riley’s mother said, her voice artificially warm—the tone she used when she wanted something.
Riley caught Erin’s sharp intake of breath and placed a reassuring hand on her sister's knee.
A chair scuffed inside. A door clicked. A soft hush fell over the kitchen.
“Don’t eat the muffins, Grant,” Sandy said.
“Seriously. Don’t eat them.” Riley gripped her sister’s knee tighter.
“I already ate. Thanks.” Grant’s voice stretched through the static.
“You look tired,”Elizabeth said.“All this… unpleasantness. How is Kelly? The children? I’ve missed them so these last few days.”
“They’re fine.”A pause.“We’re all fine.”
“That’s good to hear.”A ceramic clink.“Black, just how you like it.”
“Oh, no. Don’t do it,” Riley whispered.
“Seriously, no. I’m trying to cut back,”Grant said sternly.“Kelly says I’m too jacked up lately.”
“Suit yourself. But I wouldn’t do it because your wife says so,” Riley’s mother said.“She’s too into all the weird herbal stuff. It’s not good for you.”
A long pause.
“So—tell me everything. What have the kids been up to? How’s Erin doing? I so wish she’d stop with this nonsense. Chad’s a perfectly decent man. A good provider. I don’t know why she’s behaving this way, except for maybe Riley having some influence over her. Riley certainly does know how to create a stir.”
“I can’t believe her.” Erin shook her head.
“Keep the commentary to a minimum.” The FBI agent adjusted his headset, eyes narrowed.
“I’m not here to discuss any of that,”Grant said, matching her ease.“I'm more interested in what the town's been buzzing about.”
“Oh, Lord. The gossip in Stone Bridge.”A brittle tinkle of laughter.“They’re already twisting your father’s death into a melodrama. It’s grotesque. Everyone should mind their own business and let us bury your father in peace. That includes your little sister. This is all her fault. She had no business calling the ME.”
“Uh-huh,”was all that Grant seemed to want to say about that.“For now, I’d rather talk about the funds missing from the revitalization committee.”
The sound of china hitting china clanked in Riley’s ear. “We’ve had that talk, and now you’re in a pickle.”
“Not exactly. My name’s on approvals I didn’t sign,”Grant said.“I wonder how that happened.”
