I’ll get in touch with you after I talk to Hank.”
I wasn’t sure how he’d react to Michelle keeping this to herself all this time.
I gave her a ticket from my order pad, and she wrote her number on the back. I slipped it into my pocket and then left the booth, leaving Michelle to finish her beer.
As I walked over to check on a table of customers, I spotted a guy I recognized sitting at the bar. He was in his thirties and kind of rough around the edges. Short beard and dark brown hair in need of a cut. I didn’t know his name, but I knew who he usually came in with—Bingham.
Our eyes locked, and he gave me a deadpan stare, leading to a five-second game of chicken. As much as I wanted to wait him out, the customer calling my name behind me forced me to end the match and take their drink order.
What was Bingham’s guy doing here? From the looks of it, he was keeping tabs on me. Had he seen me talking to Michelle? I looked over at the booth, and she was gone.
Marco came in around eight thirty, walking with a slight limp. He sat down at the bar with Max, several stools away from Bingham’s guy. Max glanced over at me, and I gave him a warm smile. He looked exhausted.
Bingham’s guy peered at Marco over his shoulder and reached for his wallet. After he placed several bills on the bar top, he headed out the door.
I wasn’t sure what to make of it—had he been watching me, or was it a coincidence?— but another table grabbed my attention before I could give the matter any more thought. After I walked their wing order over to Tiny, I sidled up to Marco at the bar and kissed him hello. Several people broke into cheers, and I turned around to face them with a smile.
“Let’s give them a real show,” Marco said in an undertone, grinning. He pulled me back into his arms and kissed me again, dipping me slightly backward this time.
More cheered erupted. When he pulled back, we were both grinning. Things in my life were crap right now, but at least I had this man with me.
“Take her home, Marco,” Ruth said from behind me.
Marco gave her a surprised look.
Max laughed. “Ruth wants more hours to help replace Tater’s truck, and I suspect she’s worried Carly’s gonna get more tips after that show.”
“I am not,” Ruth teased, “but I can see you two need to go home.”
Marco eyed me hopefully.
“It’s only eight thirty,” I protested. Ruth and Max would be handling the place alone.
“Go home already,” Ruth said. “There’s not a big crowd tonight. I can handle it.” She leaned closer. “We both know I need the tips.”
I could have argued with her, but I was eager to tell Marco about everything I’d learned. “Okay. You don’t have to tell me twice.” Turning to Marco, I said, “I need to go in the back to get my things.”
“I’m parked back there, so I’ll walk with you.”
He hopped off his stool and put his arm around my back, ushering me to the storeroom.
“Carly,” Ruth called after me. “Call me.”
I glanced back at her and nodded. I couldn’t put off talking to her forever. I just needed to figure out how much to tell her.
As soon as we got into the Explorer, I said, “Don’t go yet. I need to tell you about my visitors tonight.”
I told him what Michelle had said about Louise and Bruce working together with a third person who likely had access to Hank’s schedule.
“Who do you think it was?” Marco asked.
“I figure two strong possibilities are Barb or Big Joe.”
“Hank won’t take it well if either of them betrayed him. Especially Barb.”
“We have to tell him,” I said. “It’s time to make Hank talk to me.”
“I don’t think he’s gonna be thrilled Michelle’s been sittin’ on this information either.”
Talk about an understatement.
“You know,” he said, his eyes lighting up, “there’ve been reports of vandalism on several properties over the last week. I hadn’t put it together until now, but people are reporting that multiple big holes have been dug on their properties.”
“Like someone’s looking for a buried treasure?”
“Yep.”
Michelle had seemed certain the fortune was buried.
“Do you think they buried a bunch of cash?”
“Stands to reason,” he said with a small shrug.
I drew in a breath and sat back in my seat. “I’ve seen Ozark, Marco. I’ve