decide to do. They haven’t even released the body yet.”
“I’m sure it’s very unsettling for everyone,” I said demurely, wondering how I could find out what else he knew. He’d mentioned suspicious circumstances and foul play. Was that an educated guess, or had he heard something? I needed to find out exactly what he knew—fast.
“Of course, he could have died from natural causes,” he said, breaking into my thoughts.
“Oh, absolutely.” I smiled brightly at him, hoping he would say more.
“I heard your interview with him yesterday,” he said, resting his hand lightly on mine. “You did an excellent job, as usual. It made me want to run out and buy his book, and I’m usually not into that self-help stuff.” He gave a little self-deprecating smile.
I nodded. Ted listens to my show every single day. Just like my mother , I thought wearily, and then realized that Freud would have a field day with that one.
“I’m not into all that cosmic stuff, either,” I admitted, slathering a blueberry muffin with honey butter. I’m into calories and cholesterol , I thought, resisting the urge to slide a cheese Danish onto my plate. And those tiny banana-nut minimuffins at the Seabreeze—they’re the best. I poured two Splendas into my coffee to even out the calorie count.
“I suppose it was very hard for you to get the news,” he went on. “You know, I’ve been worried about you, Maggie. I’m glad you stopped by today. I was going to call and see how you were doing.” (See what I mean? He’s not only kind and good-looking; he’s sensitive and worried about my feelings. Maybe I am insane not to take our relationship to the next level!)
I nodded, trying to look properly somber. “It was certainly a shock.” I toyed with my teaspoon, wondering how to broach the subject. “Do the police have any leads?” I asked innocently.
“I’m not sure,” Ted said, his tone grave. “They were here late last night interviewing the staff, and the lead detective was back again this morning. He’s sort of an annoying guy,” he said, his face clouding.
“Really?” My heart rate bounced up a notch. Annoying, irritating, and impossibly sexy.
“Yeah.” His blue eyes glinted and his smile was sardonic. “He came on pretty strong and tried to steamroll his way over everyone. I guess he was only doing his job, but I’m not looking forward to seeing him again. And I have the feeling he’ll be back.”
“Detective Martino?” I blurted out without thinking.
Ted looked surprised. “Yes, how did you know?”
“I think I may have heard his name mentioned at the station,” I said glibly, not wanting to explain the early-morning visit. “You know, Big Jim Wilcox usually covers the crime beat. But he was tied up this morning, and I think I saw Martino’s name on a news report Jim had filed.”
“Well, he certainly grilled Carmela, who was working the front desk last night.” Ted frowned. “She’s not completely fluent in English, and I think she was intimidated by him. If I’d been thinking straight, I would have insisted on having an interpreter there for her. He can be something of a bully, and I don’t appreciate him manhandling my staff.”
“He can have that effect on people.” I allowed myself a small, derisive snort.
“So you know him?”
“No, of course not. But that’s what I’ve heard. You know, around the station,” I said, backpedaling quickly as Ted’s eyebrows shot up. “So, what did she tell him?”
“He wouldn’t let anyone sit in on the interview,” Ted said morosely. “But I know that Carmela told him a young woman visited the guru in his room last night. Someone slim and blond who was carrying a big tote bag. I guess it was a purse, but Carmela said it was so big, she thought it might be an overnight bag.”
Lark and her yellow Coach bag! That clinched it. Lark was at the Seabreeze, but when? And why? She hadn’t paid a surprise visit to her idol, had she? My
“I’m sure it’s very unsettling for everyone,” I said demurely, wondering how I could find out what else he knew. He’d mentioned suspicious circumstances and foul play. Was that an educated guess, or had he heard something? I needed to find out exactly what he knew—fast.
“Of course, he could have died from natural causes,” he said, breaking into my thoughts.
“Oh, absolutely.” I smiled brightly at him, hoping he would say more.
“I heard your interview with him yesterday,” he said, resting his hand lightly on mine. “You did an excellent job, as usual. It made me want to run out and buy his book, and I’m usually not into that self-help stuff.” He gave a little self-deprecating smile.
I nodded. Ted listens to my show every single day. Just like my mother , I thought wearily, and then realized that Freud would have a field day with that one.
“I’m not into all that cosmic stuff, either,” I admitted, slathering a blueberry muffin with honey butter. I’m into calories and cholesterol , I thought, resisting the urge to slide a cheese Danish onto my plate. And those tiny banana-nut minimuffins at the Seabreeze—they’re the best. I poured two Splendas into my coffee to even out the calorie count.
“I suppose it was very hard for you to get the news,” he went on. “You know, I’ve been worried about you, Maggie. I’m glad you stopped by today. I was going to call and see how you were doing.” (See what I mean? He’s not only kind and good-looking; he’s sensitive and worried about my feelings. Maybe I am insane not to take our relationship to the next level!)
I nodded, trying to look properly somber. “It was certainly a shock.” I toyed with my teaspoon, wondering how to broach the subject. “Do the police have any leads?” I asked innocently.
“I’m not sure,” Ted said, his tone grave. “They were here late last night interviewing the staff, and the lead detective was back again this morning. He’s sort of an annoying guy,” he said, his face clouding.
“Really?” My heart rate bounced up a notch. Annoying, irritating, and impossibly sexy.
“Yeah.” His blue eyes glinted and his smile was sardonic. “He came on pretty strong and tried to steamroll his way over everyone. I guess he was only doing his job, but I’m not looking forward to seeing him again. And I have the feeling he’ll be back.”
“Detective Martino?” I blurted out without thinking.
Ted looked surprised. “Yes, how did you know?”
“I think I may have heard his name mentioned at the station,” I said glibly, not wanting to explain the early-morning visit. “You know, Big Jim Wilcox usually covers the crime beat. But he was tied up this morning, and I think I saw Martino’s name on a news report Jim had filed.”
“Well, he certainly grilled Carmela, who was working the front desk last night.” Ted frowned. “She’s not completely fluent in English, and I think she was intimidated by him. If I’d been thinking straight, I would have insisted on having an interpreter there for her. He can be something of a bully, and I don’t appreciate him manhandling my staff.”
“He can have that effect on people.” I allowed myself a small, derisive snort.
“So you know him?”
“No, of course not. But that’s what I’ve heard. You know, around the station,” I said, backpedaling quickly as Ted’s eyebrows shot up. “So, what did she tell him?”
“He wouldn’t let anyone sit in on the interview,” Ted said morosely. “But I know that Carmela told him a young woman visited the guru in his room last night. Someone slim and blond who was carrying a big tote bag. I guess it was a purse, but Carmela said it was so big, she thought it might be an overnight bag.”
Lark and her yellow Coach bag! That clinched it. Lark was at the Seabreeze, but when? And why? She hadn’t paid a surprise visit to her idol, had she? My
Similar Books
