A Gift for Murder

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"They found out she arrived here a day earlier than she said?" I asked.

Janelle's eyebrows rose. "So that's why. But who told you?"

"Dave Powell of Gaviscelli's. He's known her for some time."

"I wonder how he knew she was here when no one else did."

"He says she was seen by others. He also said she'd argued with her husband the day he was killed."

"Interesting," Janelle said. "But beside the point right now. I just wanted to let you know I'm getting a lawyer for her."

"Okay. I'm headed out to lunch. I'll check with you when I get back." I started to leave but stopped at the doorway. "Oh, and nice maneuvering with Scott Brandon. Escort, my foot! When did you decide to become Mama Matchmaker?" I turned to look at her.

She wore one of those grins. "He's hot, isn't he?"

"Yeah, but I suspect he's bad news, too. There's something going on with him. That man doesn't belong working here as a security guard, and I don't like any of the reasons I can come up with for why he's reduced to it."

"Would you rather not have him go with you? I can get him in some other way."

"Don't you dare. I'm looking forward to it. Just don't make a habit of this."

"Oh, please," she said. "Me? Ms. Relationship-success herself?"

"I feel better. Gotta run."

I was ten minutes late getting to Hannah's, which was across the street and a block down from the Center. Lisa waited at a table for two near the back. She wasn't looking at me, and something about her demeanor struck me. Depression? Sorrow?

She jumped, startled, when I apologized for my tardiness and sat down, but she recovered quickly and had her usual perky smile back in place. I picked up a menu, but put it back moments later. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Bad day? Sales rotten?"

Lisa never got down or looked discouraged. At least not during the time I'd known her. Which wasn't all that long, in truth, since I saw her maybe five or six times a year, for an hour or so each time.

"No," she said. "I'm a bit tired, I think. You hanging in?"

"So far."

The waiter came and took our orders. When he departed Lisa said, "Tell me about Mr. Tall, Blond and Scrumptious, the guy you were with this morning."

"He's a sales rep for Chang." I laughed at her raised eyebrow. "Cute, isn't he?"

She chuckled. "Girlfriend, cute is for teddy bears. That one is no teddy bear. He's flat-out gorgeous. Not pretty-boy pretty, but better."

"You interested?"

She let out a sigh. "I would be, but there's someone else. You remember I mentioned Jim Forrester last year?"

"I've got a vague memory, but I didn't realize it was serious. Isn't he in the army or something?"

"He's a Ranger."

"I'm impressed."

"I was, too. And he's a good guy. Really good. And he's got a killer smile. Dimples, lights in the eyes, the whole package."

"So what's the problem?"

"He's off doing intelligence in some Asian hotspot you couldn't find on a map with a magnifying glass. And I haven't heard from him in almost a month."