I rolled my eyes and rocked my head. “Mostly as a stall when I asked him about when he’d be moving out.”
Mason’s expression faded and he asked if Barry and I were spending a lot of time together. Before I could say anything, he asked if I’d gotten anything specific about when Barry was moving out. Mason shook his head when I told him about the work being done on Barry’s place.
“That could go on for a year,” Mason said. “You’ve made it entirely too comfortable for him and his son.” Mason realized his tone sounded a little harsh and put his hand over mine. “I know. It all started when he was injured and vulnerable. You are too kind. But that’s what I lov—like about you so much. And you’re fun besides. And I want more time with you.”
This seemed like the perfect time to bring it up and I asked him about my coming to the wedding.
“I don’t know. My daughters have never met anyone I—” He interrupted himself. “What is it you were telling me about your day?”
At least I could tell he was thinking about inviting me. It wasn’t so much about the wedding itself, it was about letting me have full access to his world. He certainly had access to mine.
But I let the subject go and told him about Adele in her Wizard of Oz outfit and Jeffrey trying to get into the L.A. 911 shot and how weird it was that Jeffrey’s girlfriend’s mother was the Donahue’s next-door neighbor. When I got to the part about sending Jeffrey down to check out the action, Mason seemed concerned again.
“You’re really attached to that kid, aren’t you?”
I sighed. “Yes, I can’t help it. No matter that its over between Barry and me, I don’t want to let go of Jeffrey.”
Mason didn’t look happy.
By now the sun had slipped into the water like a coin into a piggy bank. The last of the pink and orange glow hung above the water while the sky had turned a soft blue. The breeze felt cold now and Mason took off his suit jacket and draped it around my shoulders. I covered the silence by going on about Adele and Eric and how she kept flaunting all her inside information. Finally Mason chuckled.
“You’re worried she’s going to solve this one before you do,” he said. I hung my head and nodded.
“Do you have any idea of what it would be like if she did?” I said and Mason chuckled again.
“I think I have a pretty good idea. But Molly, you’ve solved mysteries without inside information. You always said all Barry ever said to you was to keep out of it. You’ve done it with this,” he said touching the side of my head to indicate my brains. “And maybe a little help from me on occasion.”
Twilight was slowly deepening and the sand, water and sky were all blending together. Mason let out a little shiver. “I don’t know about you, but a nice cozy restaurant and some food sounds good.”
We retraced our steps up the hill and went back to the car. Mason had a restaurant in mind in Palos Verdes. He pulled into a parking lot on a cliff high above the water. The restaurant had a wall of windows and outside the twilight had almost turned into night.
“Maybe I can help you. Tell me everything you know about the case.”
I began to throw out things I remembered or had heard. “Kelly had an online business according to Dan. She sold things she crocheted. Dan is obsessed with his store. He would talk about Kelly for a moment and then go back to talking about his plans to have a nationwide chain.” I stopped and sighed. “I don’t think this is getting anywhere.”
“How about talking about the last time you saw her?” Mason said. He even suggested I close my eyes and describe what I saw.
“It was a treat to see Kelly’s workroom again.” I sighed. “When Barry goes and I get all my stuff out of the storage locker, I’m going to get my room organized.” I heard Mason laugh and then he encouraged me to go on.
“The lamp,” I said. “How could I have forgotten to tell the group and you about that. It was there the first two times I went to Kelly’s but when we went afterward, it wasn’t there. Dan didn’t know anything about it, or so he said. I