woman named Ashley Lawson?”
“Vaguely. I mean, we’re in the same business but that’s all. Why?”
“She’s dead.”
A gasp sounded between them. “Dead?” Beth echoed.
“She was found in her car this morning.”
“I—I don’t know what to say . . .” The woman’s voice trailed off only to return in a slightly softer pitch. “What happened?”
“It appears that she was murdered.”
A second gasp was followed by more silence.
“Beth, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Milo. It’s just . . . I don’t know, sad, you know? I mean she had a—I think she had a little girl, didn’t she?”
“Yes. Penelope.”
“That’s a shame.” Beth’s voice returned to its earlier purr, the sound tickling Tori’s ear despite its distance from the phone. “Oh, Milo, it’s so nice to be able to talk to you again. I’ve missed that so much since we broke up.”
“We broke up fourteen years ago, Beth.”
“We were together for a full year . . . ”
“A year that ended fourteen years ago,” he said gently.
“And I’ve missed it ever since.”
Tori tried not to roll her eyes as she snuggled closer against Milo’s chest.
“Then I hope you find someone as special as I have.”
Silence was followed by a third—yet different—giggle. “Then perhaps it’s time I get to know this special lady of yours.”
Milo glanced down at Tori, gestured toward the phone with his chin.
Realizing what he was asking, she sat up tall, her mind sifting through her various appointments and obligations for the rest of the week. “I have a little time tomorrow morning. I’m not due into the library until noon.”
He winked at her as he spoke into the phone. “Any chance you’re free tomorrow morning, say around”—he glanced at her for confirmation—“ten?”
“I can do ten. Where?”
“How about Debbie’s?” she whispered up at him.
“How about Debbie’s? The same place you met this morning.”
“Debbie’s? You mean that darling little bakery in town? Oh yes. That sounds lovely.” Beth paused. “Can she hear me right now?”
“Who? Tori?”
“Yes.”
He held his lips to her forehead for just a moment before replying. “Yes, she can.”
“Wonderful. I’ll see you at ten, Tori, okay?”
He held the phone outward to allow her to respond and then cocked it toward his ear once again. “So you two are all set now?”
“We’re all set. Unless, of course, you’ll be joining us, Milo?”
“I’m afraid I can’t. I’ll be in the middle of third grade math at ten o’clock.”
Another giggle sounded in their ears. “Oh, that’s right. It’s probably for the best. I imagine it would be rather awkward for Tori to watch us together anyway.”
Milo met her silent question with the rise of his finger. “Watch us together? I’m not sure I understand, Beth.”
“Oh, Milo, c’mon. You know what I’m talking about.”
“I do?”
“Fourteen years is no match for chemistry, my love.”
Chapter 9
She wrapped her hands around the ceramic powder blue mug and glanced at the clock over the door.
10:15 a.m.
Beth Samuelson was late.
The simple fact that she was fifteen minutes late didn’t really bother Tori. It happened. To everyone. But after the things the woman had hinted at on the telephone the night before, all it served to do was give her more time to think.
And worry.
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Milo, because she did—or as much as she could given the fact she’d trusted once before only to be humiliated in a way she wouldn’t wish on anyone.
No, it had far more to do with the unknown and its impact on her psyche.
Sure enough, the more she tried to forget about Milo’s college sweetheart, the more the woman plagued her mind. The more she tried to take comfort in the things Milo loved about her, the more she noticed all the things Beth had that she didn’t. And it was driving her batty.
The sound of her cell phone broke through her woolgathering. Flipping it open, she held it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Good morning, beautiful.”
She grinned. “Isn’t this a nice surprise.” She glanced at the clock again, her mind immediately leaping to his day. “I thought you were in math right now.”
“I am. Alice took them outside for a few minutes just to give them a change of pace.”
“What are they working on today?” She lifted the mug to her mouth and took a quick sip.
“Multiplication.”
“No wonder they need a break.”
“Oh, they’re not getting a break. They’re actually doing multiplication right now.”
“Outside?”
“Alice is a whiz. The kids love her.”
Tori couldn’t help but smile. She, of all people, knew the wonders of a good assistant.
“So? Is she there?” His voice rumbled in her ear.
“No.