cook if he’s coming home to eat. I think he’s probably eating at the station tonight. He’s shook up about Esmeralda’s involvement in this murder. He wants the case solved as quickly as possible and to get her name cleared so she can come back to work. He leaned on her a lot. I think she’ll be getting a raise when she comes back.” I sent a quick message, then picked up a napkin. “Besides, he gets that we need friend time too.”
“Greg’s a keeper.” Amy folded a napkin in half the time it had taken me. Which was fine; this wasn’t a race, I told myself.
When we got to Diamond Lille’s, Toby was already there and waved us over to his table. “Hey, guys. Great minds and all.”
“Easy to do when there’s only one full-menu restaurant in town,” Amy reminded him.
“It’s still nice to see you.” He leaned forward. “Jill helped me take down the attacker at Esmeralda’s.”
“That’s one way to put it.” I grabbed his glass of water and took several sips from it. “You can have mine.”
Toby waved Carrie over. “Hey, Princess, bring these two menus.”
“Don’t call me Princess.” Something flashed in Carrie’s eyes and I pulled back into the back of the booth. Maybe she wouldn’t see me sitting there and only Toby would be in the doghouse for his choice of words. She selected menus from the hostess stand and slapped them on the table. “I’ll be right back for your order.”
I blinked and watched her storm away. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Carrie in a bad mood before.”
Amy turned to Toby. “First for me. What did you say to her earlier?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t remember. Something about being a long day, she agreed, took my order, and dropped off the food. She was normal then.”
“Did one of the other customers get in her face about something?” I prodded.
Toby shook his head. “No. It’s been quiet in here. You know I watch for those things. It’s one of the first things you learn on the job that you are never really off the job. She dropped off my food. Oh, then Doc came in, they talked at the hostess stand, he got a call and left.”
“Oh, Doc came in?” I settled back in the booth. Apparently, the lovebirds were fighting over something. One more piece of the puzzle that said they were in a relationship, even though both of them denied it.
Amy eyed me suspiciously. “And what are you not telling us?”
The table quieted as Carrie came back for our order. “Sorry I was a little snappy just now. Like Toby said, it’s been a long day.”
I told her what I wanted and Amy listed off her specific order trying to stay within some calorie count for the diet she didn’t need. Then the door opened and Doc Ames walked back inside. I glanced at Carrie’s face as she tried to keep it from showing any emotion, but I saw the hope jump in her eyes, just for a second.
Then a woman followed Doc in and they went to sit in a booth. As they passed by, Doc nodded a greeting. And Evie grinned at us.
“Hey, guys, I guess this is the place to be tonight.” She laughed as she followed Doc to the booth.
Carrie put her fingers on the table, gripping it like she was about to pass out. Evie was at least thirty years younger than either Carrie or Doc. There was no way this was a date. But Carrie seemed to think it was. Her eyes met mine and I saw the hint of tears.
“If there’s nothing else, I think it’s time for my break. Debbie will bring out your food for you. Have a nice night.” She spun around.
“Carrie, wait …” I called after her, but either she didn’t hear me or she didn’t want to stop. From the tilt of her head I wondered if she’d get out of the dining room before the tears fell.
Toby and Amy were staring at me now. “What’s going on?”
I sighed and glanced over at the booth where Doc and Evie sat, talking. “Nothing good.”
Chapter 12
Sunday mornings I sleep in. It’s a law, at least in my house. It and Monday are the only two days I get off, so I make sure I turn off my alarm and sleep until my body wakes me up. Or the sun. Or Emma.