my feet in a pair of the cozy socks I’d bought at Rutter’s Department Store. My hair was still damp when I headed into the living room, and I was surprised to find Josh still there.
He took in my appeared for a long minute.
“What?” I glanced down then looked behind me.
“You look . . .”
“Frumpy?” I filled in for him. I’d washed off every bit of makeup in the shower.
“Relaxed,” he said. “Approachable. You should dress like that all the time.”
“And leave the house?” I shook my head. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”
“You’ve been hanging around Manhattanites for too long.”
Madeline joined us from the rotunda. “A woman likes to look her best when she goes out into the world.”
“Thank you,” I said to Madeline.
You never knew who you’d encounter out there, even if you were just running a Saturday errand. A polished professional appearance was important.
“What’s not best about this?” Josh asked.
“Don’t mind him,” Madeline said. “He doesn’t get away much from Rutter’s Point.”
“It’s way too soft and flowy,” I told Josh.
“I happen to like soft and flowy.”
“Would you hire a lawyer who was soft and flowy?” I challenged.
“The answer is no,” Madeline said.
“I’d hire a lawyer who was smart and experienced,” Josh said. “I don’t care what she looks like.”
“You’re delightful,” Madeline told him in a singsong voice.
Josh rolled to his feet in a huff. “Much as I love being mocked by you two highfalutin lawyers, I think I’m going to go be delightful elsewhere.”
I was afraid we’d actually offended him. “I didn’t mean to—”
“Question my taste in legal attire?” he asked me, a twinkle in his eyes.
I relaxed. “Go home.”
“Chill,” he said back. “You could go anywhere in that.”
“Not likely.”
I tried to imagine showing up at the Celestial Lounge on Fifth Avenue dressed like this—well, maybe on a Tuesday. Even then, I’d look avant-garde instead of professional. Heaven help me if I ran into a client or a fellow lawyer.
“Your loss.” He gave us both a wave. “See you tomorrow.”
“Well that was fun,” Madeline said and dropped into an armchair.
“He wasn’t offended, was he?” I asked, still not feeling completely right about the conversation.
“Josh has a dry sense of humor. I hear you two went walking on the beach.”
It sounded romantic, the way she said it.
“We took Butch walking on the beach. That’s why I needed a shower. He sure loves the water.”
“Josh?”
“Butch. Josh threw him a ball.”
Madeline looked confused for a moment.
“The dog,” I elaborated. “Josh threw a ball for the dog into the water.”
“Ah,” Madeline said.
I took the other armchair and set my phone on the table beside me. There was nothing yet from Cecily.
“Have you heard from Judge Winterspoon?” I asked. Cecily’s message had me thinking I might have to leave Rutter’s Point.
“Max?” Madeline asked, looking puzzled.
I hoped I hadn’t spoken out of turn. I’d assumed Madeline knew all about Judge Winterspoon’s arrival.
I pressed on. “Josh said the judge was going to help you out in the office.”
“You don’t have to call him judge anymore. He retired from the bench. I had to retire too.” She smiled. “Start spreading the news . . .” Madeline sang the opening words so the classic song “New York, New York.”
“Do you miss the city?” I asked.
“I’ve been thinking about taking a drive down there.”
“In the Challenger?”
The thought of Madeline loose on the streets of Manhattan in her classic car was frightening.
“Of course in the Challenger,” she said. “How else would it be any fun?”
“That’s a long way to drive on your own.” I looked for ways to discourage her.
“I can put the miles on fast.”
That was what frightened me. “And there’s a lot of traffic once you get out of Maine.”
“I’ve driven in New York City.”
“In that car?”
“No. I left ’er here while I was away.”
“Probably a good decision.”
“It’s not the easiest to park.”
“Yes. Yes. Parking. That would be a problem.”
“Maybe someday.”
“It can be a long-term plan,” I said, feeling like I’d done my duty. “So back to Max. Has he said when he’s arriving in town?”
She smiled and got a faraway look in her eyes. “He was a handsome man back then. All the lady lawyers wore their best in front of him. He dated, but he didn’t date lawyers. He told me that. Then he asked me out.”
“Max Winterspoon asked you out on a date?”
Madeline’s grin widened. “Right after closing arguments. I was wearing the green . . . no the royal-purple blouse, the one with the sweetheart neckline. It was just a teensy bit daring