set the bag on the floor by her feet without looking inside.
“You did. I’m sorry I was so stubborn last night. I’m also sorry about Doc.” I genuinely meant it, even if my tone was businesslike.
She shredded a clean tissue. “Thank you.”
I inhaled deeply, reaching for patience somewhere deep inside. “So, you mentioned something about Doc,” I prodded.
She smoothed her hair with a shaky hand. “I know you and I aren’t exactly friends,” she started.
I gulped my tea, burning my tongue. I pried the lid off to cool it quicker. “No, we’re not. But I have a bad feeling that’s not going to stop you from asking me for a favor.”
Kiki finally noticed me. She abandoned her treat and bound across Tova’s lap to greet me.
“Hi, girlfriend. How ya doin’?” I scratched behind her ear as she licked the air around my face. She was one cute pocket-puppy.
“Are you and that Detective Malone friends?” Tova’s soft breathy voice barely reached me.
I smiled at the absurdity of her question. I’m sure Malone called me many names. “Friend” was not on the list. “No.”
“Oh. I thought since you helped him with Mona Michael’s murder, that you two were, I don’t know . . . ” she motioned absently.
“BFFs? Not likely.” I set my cup on the table. “Tova, What do you want?”
“There’s a photo of Jack and me on Balboa Island in his office. I want you to help me get past that barracuda office manager of his so I can get it. I deserve it.”
Maybe her eyes were red from something other than crying. “Have you been drinking?”
Tova flinched. “What? Of course not.”
I couldn’t believe it. She wanted me to cover for her while she stole from her dead boyfriend’s office. Of all her non-friends, why did Tova Randall want my help?
I stood, ready to get the heck out of Dodge. “I don’t think so.”
“Is this because of the lawsuit?”
Yes. “You accused me of infecting Kiki with fleas. You threatened to sue me if I didn’t reimburse your costs. Tova, bless your heart, you’re crazy.”
Tova grabbed Kiki and stood too. Her little dog wiggled in protest. “Wait. I’ve told you, I’m sorry about all that.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “No. You’ve never apologized.”
She had the decency to blush. “Well, I’d give you back the check, but I’ve already cashed it. Fifteen hundred dollars doesn’t go very far these days.”
I looked around. No one was paying us any attention. “You’re the one who came up with that amount, which I gave you. Kiki didn’t get fleas from Bow Wow,” I reminded her.
“I know. I’m sorry. I am truly sorry.” Tova’s green eyes stared at me in earnestness.
Good grief. Who knew I was a sucker for a decent apology? I was getting soft.
“Melinda, please, just come to his office with me,” Tova begged quietly.
“Why can’t you go alone?”
“I’ve been to his office. It’s closed.”
That kinda made sense, him being dead and all. “Closed forever?”
She shook her head “Jack recently brought on a second surgeon. I think he called him a junior partner.”
Tova motioned for me to sit again. I was rooted in place. I knew the smart move was to walk out of the Koffee Klatch and go back to the shop. But that nosey part of me wanted to know more. Plus I felt sorry for Tova.
I sat back down.
Tova shot me a million-dollar smile and returned to her seat too. “I stopped by Jack’s office this morning to retrieve the photo. The door was locked. Gwen Lawson, the office manager, could see me through the glass doors. She just ignored me, pretended I wasn’t there.”
I wished I could pretend Tova wasn’t here. Sitting next to me. Begging for my help. “Tova, I know you’re upset. Doc . . .” I decided to drop the formality. “Jack was their boss; they’re upset too. Give them a couple of days. I’m sure they’ll let you in, and you can get whatever it is you want, assuming he has no relatives who have to be
“You did. I’m sorry I was so stubborn last night. I’m also sorry about Doc.” I genuinely meant it, even if my tone was businesslike.
She shredded a clean tissue. “Thank you.”
I inhaled deeply, reaching for patience somewhere deep inside. “So, you mentioned something about Doc,” I prodded.
She smoothed her hair with a shaky hand. “I know you and I aren’t exactly friends,” she started.
I gulped my tea, burning my tongue. I pried the lid off to cool it quicker. “No, we’re not. But I have a bad feeling that’s not going to stop you from asking me for a favor.”
Kiki finally noticed me. She abandoned her treat and bound across Tova’s lap to greet me.
“Hi, girlfriend. How ya doin’?” I scratched behind her ear as she licked the air around my face. She was one cute pocket-puppy.
“Are you and that Detective Malone friends?” Tova’s soft breathy voice barely reached me.
I smiled at the absurdity of her question. I’m sure Malone called me many names. “Friend” was not on the list. “No.”
“Oh. I thought since you helped him with Mona Michael’s murder, that you two were, I don’t know . . . ” she motioned absently.
“BFFs? Not likely.” I set my cup on the table. “Tova, What do you want?”
“There’s a photo of Jack and me on Balboa Island in his office. I want you to help me get past that barracuda office manager of his so I can get it. I deserve it.”
Maybe her eyes were red from something other than crying. “Have you been drinking?”
Tova flinched. “What? Of course not.”
I couldn’t believe it. She wanted me to cover for her while she stole from her dead boyfriend’s office. Of all her non-friends, why did Tova Randall want my help?
I stood, ready to get the heck out of Dodge. “I don’t think so.”
“Is this because of the lawsuit?”
Yes. “You accused me of infecting Kiki with fleas. You threatened to sue me if I didn’t reimburse your costs. Tova, bless your heart, you’re crazy.”
Tova grabbed Kiki and stood too. Her little dog wiggled in protest. “Wait. I’ve told you, I’m sorry about all that.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “No. You’ve never apologized.”
She had the decency to blush. “Well, I’d give you back the check, but I’ve already cashed it. Fifteen hundred dollars doesn’t go very far these days.”
I looked around. No one was paying us any attention. “You’re the one who came up with that amount, which I gave you. Kiki didn’t get fleas from Bow Wow,” I reminded her.
“I know. I’m sorry. I am truly sorry.” Tova’s green eyes stared at me in earnestness.
Good grief. Who knew I was a sucker for a decent apology? I was getting soft.
“Melinda, please, just come to his office with me,” Tova begged quietly.
“Why can’t you go alone?”
“I’ve been to his office. It’s closed.”
That kinda made sense, him being dead and all. “Closed forever?”
She shook her head “Jack recently brought on a second surgeon. I think he called him a junior partner.”
Tova motioned for me to sit again. I was rooted in place. I knew the smart move was to walk out of the Koffee Klatch and go back to the shop. But that nosey part of me wanted to know more. Plus I felt sorry for Tova.
I sat back down.
Tova shot me a million-dollar smile and returned to her seat too. “I stopped by Jack’s office this morning to retrieve the photo. The door was locked. Gwen Lawson, the office manager, could see me through the glass doors. She just ignored me, pretended I wasn’t there.”
I wished I could pretend Tova wasn’t here. Sitting next to me. Begging for my help. “Tova, I know you’re upset. Doc . . .” I decided to drop the formality. “Jack was their boss; they’re upset too. Give them a couple of days. I’m sure they’ll let you in, and you can get whatever it is you want, assuming he has no relatives who have to be
Similar Books
