maid, and now he wanted to hurry off and tell someone else. Hopefully one of those people would be the chief of police.
“Huff away,” I said as Dmitri flung himself into the crowd.
“So, what do you think about that?” Leo said, eyebrows raised. Like Shari from the post office, he seemed more excited than distressed. Was I the only one who thought having a criminal on the island was a bad thing?
“I think that Dmitri likes to make things up, and any story he tells needs to be corroborated by at least two more reliable sources.”
“You don’t think that stuff the maid found was from the jewel thief?”
I wanted to say no, of course not, but if Dmitri was being honest, then that certainly opened up a whole host of possibilities. “I don’t know what to think. Except that I think I’d like to have another drink.”
Leo smiled, and I wondered if he knew just how good-looking he was. It seemed unlikely that he hadn’t noticed. He had some facial scruff today, and I wondered if it would be prickly or soft. I wanted to reach over and touch it, but that just wasn’t something the mayor could do. Such a shame.
“You know what you need, besides another drink?” he asked.
For you to take off your shirt? “No, what?”
“Dinner. With me. And don’t tell me that you have to work, because I haven’t even said which night yet and you can’t possibly have to work every single night.”
I’d spent the last few days regretting having turned him down the last time. I didn’t think I had the resolve to say no again. I couldn’t ignore the attraction I felt. Especially considering the scruff. And so what if people wanted to talk? Gigi moving in with Gus was far more exciting than boring old me having a casual dinner date with the cute new bartender. And everyone would be far more focused on the jewel thief. And so what if I hadn’t had time to do any background checking to see if there were unsavory tidbits from his past that I should know about. It’s not like we were going to jump into bed. It was just dinner. I could handle it. Because the truth was, Leo Walker was a hot commodity. Emphasis on the hot, and if I didn’t go out with him soon, someone else would most certainly scoop him up. Local shop owner Eva Culpepper had been eyeing him since the moment she’d arrived at the bar. This invitation might be my last chance.
“Okay,” I said. “How about tonight?”
His eyes lit up. “Perfect. I’m done here at six.”
I was about to respond, but before I could say more, a commotion in the corner captured our attention. It was Gloria.
“Everyone? Everyone? Could I have your attention for just a quick second?” She’d stepped onto the small carpeted stage in the corner where live music was performed on Saturday nights. She gripped the microphone tightly in her pudgy fingers, although it wasn’t on. She didn’t need it for volume, and I really, sincerely hoped she was not about to sing something in honor of Bridget. If she did, dogs all over town would start howling.
“Everyone? Hello!” she bellowed again. “If I could have your attention for just a teensy, weensy sec, I have something I’d like to share.”
The room quieted, ice clinking in glasses the only sound as the crowd turned toward the stage.
She pushed a strand of bleached-blonde hair from her pink cheeks and smiled. “Hi, everybody. As most of you know, Bridget was a special friend to me. When I was little, she taught me how to swear in German.” Laughter circled the room. “She taught me how to make pie crust, although I could never get mine to be as flaky as hers, and I seriously suspect she left out an ingredient every time just so mine wouldn’t be as good. I often sat by her at Sunday church services, and let me tell you, that woman could speed through a rosary like nobody’s business.” Gloria’s voice broke, and Tiny reached up and handed her a fresh tissue. She clung to his hand for a moment, and he nodded at her, smiling.
She took a big, deep breath, blowing it out in a nervous huff. “Okay, well anyway, we are here today to celebrate her life and her wonderful spirit. I don’t want to take anything away from that, but I think Bridget would be okay with what