Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
“Buongiorno,” came the warm, melodic voice that could still hush a room. Nonna stepped inside, trench coat belted at the waist, a pale blue scarf tied loosely over her dark hair. Even in her sixties, she looked like Sophia Loren had wandered off a film set and into the Elks Lodge kitchen.
Birdie turned from the counter with an easy grin. “Elda Albertini. I was wondering when you’d show up. There’s a pie saboteur afoot, you know.”
“Birdie, my dear,” Nonna said, crossing the floor to kiss her friend on both cheeks. “That was kind of you to allow Donna to take my place at last month’s bridge game. I was on a case, you know.”
Birdie laughed, swatting at her with the towel. “I enjoyed teaching Donna. She bids like a gambler and bluffs like a saint. That girl doesn’t stand a chance.”
Nonna smiled indulgently. “Then it’s good you taught her. You have always been lucky with cards.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it,” Birdie said. “I practice.”
“You always do.” Nonna turned, her gaze sweeping the room before landing on me. “There’s my sweet granddaughter and brilliant lawyer.”
I set down the clipboard I’d been using to take notes. “Hi again, Nonna. I think I have this covered.”
Nonna slipped off her gloves, her tone light but her brown eyes sharp. “I spoke with my two partners this morning. The Three Hens are taking Fiona O’Shea’s cases.”
I blinked. “Both of them?”
“Of course both.”
Birdie raised her brows. “You’re investigating the lotion fiasco and the theft by someone who plants dynamite?”
“Yes,” Nonna said simply. “They’re connected.”
I tried to halt this runaway train. “They’re probably not.”
“My partners and I discussed it at length earlier,” she said, all calm confidence. “Via phone, of course. Thelma and Georgiana wanted to drive right over the pass to investigate, but I insisted that one of us in town was enough. Right now.”
Amen to that. Georgiana and Thelma were sweet elderly ladies I often ended up representing. I was still unsure how they’d ended up going into business with Nonna. Why couldn’t they take up knitting and sell hats or booties? “Nonna? Whoever used that dynamite is probably dangerous. Why doesn’t Three Hens investigate the lotion in the pie situation and leave the theft to Aiden?”
Nonna pushed her round glasses further up on her nose. “The cases are connected, sweetheart.”
“No, they’re not,” I said gently.
Birdie gave us both a look that said she’d seen this dynamic before. “I’ll let you two hash this out. I need to stock the bar before the fellas start showing up.” She patted Nonna’s arm on her way by. “Don’t work too hard, sweetheart.”
“Never,” Nonna said.
When Birdie disappeared through the swinging door, Nonna turned to the industrial refrigerator. “I don’t see scratches.”
“It’s solid,” I said. “Birdie’s the only one with a key now. Aiden already checked it over and apparently found no sign of tampering.”
Nonna crouched, inspecting the handle and lock like she’d done it a hundred times before. “Hmm. Good quality. No scratches. No stress on the hinges.”
“Exactly. Which means nobody broke in.”
“Not necessarily,” she said. “Locks can be picked clean if the thief knows what they’re doing.” She glanced up at me, dark eyes amused. “We believe that the pie sabotage was a distraction for the theft of those nugget boxes.”
I shook my head. “The thief left dynamite, Nonna. We all ran right down to the shop, so they weren’t trying to keep us away from the store.”
Nonna rose slowly, smoothing her trench coat. “Huh. That’s true.” She patted the scarf. “Maybe they’re two cases. We can handle two at a time. Somebody sure wanted the map on the bottom of those boxes.”
“Seven disappointments,” I muttered. “That so-called treasure map has never led anywhere.”
Her mouth curved. “Yet people still look.”
“Not for years, Nonna. Not since we were kids.”
Nonna moved toward the counter, scanning the spotless surfaces and the heavy steel shelving as though they held secrets. “I suppose Aiden has secured all of the, what do you call it? Film from the area?”
“CCTV.” I rubbed at my temple. “I’m sure he has, but I haven’t spoken with him yet.”
“Excellent.” She looked around the kitchen again, her gaze thoughtful. “Tell Aiden I’d like a copy of the footage.”
I chuckled. “You know he won’t give you the footage, especially after you pretty much dared him earlier to mess with you.”
Her expression didn’t change, but I saw the flicker of amusement in her eyes. “I couldn’t help myself. Whenever a man gets too overprotective, I just turn into an imp.”
Man, I loved her. “It’s good to know where I get it.”
She laughed. Nonna had a great laugh—full, rich, and feminine, with a throaty edge. “I’m sure you can charm that film from him.”
The fact that she used the word film showed she shouldn’t be chasing someone who used dynamite. “Unfortunately, he’s overprotective when it comes to me as well.” I touched the arm of her trench coat. “Also, as an ATF agent, he won’t share information about an investigation. Ever.”