looking down at the table. In my mind’s eye I was seeing the bin of bullion flowers when Adele had first let me see them. I had assumed that Kelly meant to add pin findings to the felt discs she’d used as backing. But now I was seeing them in a different light. The pieces were round and not much bigger than the coins. Even the name of the stitch. I mentioned it to Dinah. “When you hear the word bullion what do you think of?”
“Clear soup?” Dinah said. I rolled my eyes.
“What else?”
“Okay, I think of gold, which is money.”
“Maybe he knew there were quarters in the crocheted flowers she gave us.”
“What, and Dan needed change for a parking meter?” Dinah said laughing.
“Good point. It’s a lot of trouble to go to for some change.” Just then I noticed that Dinah had a funny expression on her face. She seemed to be trying to tell me something, but what? I realized her eyes kept darting behind me. I turned and Barry was standing inches from me, holding a large sack of food.
“Is this your new hangout?” he said, eyeing the pile of greasy french fries. “And to think you have been giving me the evil eye about all the stuff I’ve been bringing home for dinner.” He leaned in real close. “You might want to check, but I think there’s a french fry in your hair.”
Then he straightened and bid us “happy eating” and headed toward the door.
“That’s it. I can’t take it anymore. He keeps giving me dirty looks in my kitchen, in my house.” I told Dinah about his comments when I’d been out all night.
Dinah laughed. “No matter what that man says, it isn’t over between you two or why would he even care?”
“Well, it’s over as far as I’m concerned and the sooner he moves on, the better. Mason has been very understanding, though he has a lot on his mind, at the moment anyway. Dealing with his ex-wife and the wedding disaster and the idea that in the not too distant future he could end up a grandpop.”
“What’s Barry excuse for not leaving? He’s back at work, he doesn’t limp unless he thinks someone is watching.”
I reminded Dinah about the work he was having done to his place. “I sure hope they finish soon. I can’t take all those disapproving shakes of his head.”
We finished our fries and drinks and both left feeling full and swearing we never wanted to eat again. “That’s what Barry doesn’t get. It’s only once in a while for us. He and Jeffrey are eating this stuff every day.” Dinah looked at me and shook her head.
“If you’re so anxious to get rid of him, why do you care what they eat?”
“I care about Jeffrey. He’s a growing kid. He needs salad.”
“Are you sure it’s just Jeffrey’s nutritional needs you’re so concerned about?” Dinah said.
“He told me Barry thinks catsup is a vegetable.” I might have sounded a little too emotional about that fact.
“Say what you will, but you haven’t completely let go,” Dinah said. I started to argue, but she gave me a knowing nod. Sometimes best friends know you too well.
CHAPTER 30
I dropped the shopping bag of supplies from Commander Blaine at CeeCee’s house on my way to work the next day. She was just on her way out to a meeting with a director. She had transformed from the CeeCee we had at the crochet table to CeeCee the star. I figured she might have some insight into North Adams and took advantage of the moment.
“Dear, I have to fly,” she said, giving a last-minute check to her hair. “I don’t know North. I know who he is and he knows who I am, but that’s it. People always think everybody in show business knows each other.” She started to walk out and I followed her. “It is just a guess on my part, but I would imagine he lied about knowing Kelly because either he was just trying to stay out of the investigation. Or he’s the one who shot her.”
“What? You think he really might have killed her?” I said following CeeCee to her car.
“I’ve heard the man has some secrets. Suppose things started up between them again and oh, let’s say he wanted to break things off and she threatened to make his secrets public.” She gave me a knowing look. “The man knows how to handle a gun. And as for an