Page 86 of You Chive Me Crazy
“This still doesn’t address Zoe’s most-pressing and immediate problem,” Lucas said. “You need your customers back by tomorrow if you want to secure those investors and have that franchise. The first step is to get Lazlo to take that video down. Then we need to get him to retract his statement, so people know the original was fake.”
“True, but how can we make that happen?” I asked. “The clock is ticking and we have little time.”
“I’m pretty sure I can get the video taken down, or at least get it labeled as false information,” Savannah said. “I have a friend who works for the top International Fact-Checking Network and can make a call.” She grabbed both of my hands. “This is just a temporary setback. You’re going to be selling your potatoes tomorrow. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I really hope so.”
“And while you make that happen, I’m going to find Lazlo and get him to retract his statement and issue a public apology.” Lucas gestured to Rolando. “You should come with me. I could probably use your help.”
“Let’s do it,” he said.
“How are you going to find Lazlo?” I asked. “He could be anywhere.”
“Trust me,” Lucas said before giving me a kiss. “I know just the person to talk to.”
ChapterEighteen
LUCAS
“What do you have in mind?” Rolando asked me as we got in my car, and I drove down Big Bear Boulevard. “Are we going to the police?”
I shook my head. “No. We can call Sheriff Townsend later with an update. The first step is to find Lazlo before the police get to him, to convince him to take down that video, just in case Savannah can’t make it happen. Because once he is arrested, he won’t be able to delete it from behind bars.”
Lita greeted us with a smile when we walked through the front door of the emergency clinic. “Lucas! It is so good to see you. Where is the lovely Miss Zoe?”
“She’s at Big Bang Big Bear,” I said, preferring not to share the drama of what she was going through.
She smacked her forehead. “Of course! Silly me, I guess my brain is a little scattered since it has been absolutelylocoaround here!”
I glanced at the waiting area, where there was just one person waiting.
Lita waved it off. “Oh, not now. I’m talking about earlier when we had four people come in. One guy sprained his wrist trying to open up a box of Cheez-Its. I guess he was hungry! Anyway, speaking of tasty morsels, who’s this mighty handsome man you brought with you?”
“I heard that!” her husband called out from the backroom.
She waved it off. “Ignore my husband. He’s just mad at me because I’m mad at him. I’m Lita.” She extended her hand and batted her eyelashes.
“I’m Rolando,” he said, shaking her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine, sweetie. What brings the two of you in today?”
“I was curious if anyone came in with a case of salmonella poisoning within the last few hours?” I asked.
Lita shook her head. “No. Nothing like that. The worst thing we had today was a man who got his fiddle-dee-dee stuck in his zipper. Why? Is there something going around?”
“Nope—nothing at all,” I said. “Someone is spreading a rumor, and I had a feeling it wasn’t true. If someone needed to confirm that there have been no cases—”
Lita smiled. “Just have them call me and I’ll take care of it.” She reached across her desk for a business card and handed it to me.
“I appreciate that,” I said. “This may sound like an odd question, but since Big Bear Lake is so small, you might just have the answer for me.”
“Hit me with it, sweetie. You never know.”
“I was wondering if you know anybody named Lazlo,” I said.
Lita laughed. “Of course! His family owns the Dancing Dragon restaurant, two doors down from here. Gray building with the red awning. Lazlo is the assistant manager. His dad owns the place.”
I grinned. “You’re an angel.”
