Lizzy was listening to her sister with interest, she couldn’t help but think that if Melbourne had been as passionate about his work as her sister seemed to think, Lizzy might have been able to keep her eyes open during his talk this past weekend. But then again, Lizzy had never had a relationship with food other than a desire for the occasional sweet or pastry, especially if she caught a whiff of Cinnabon in the airport. Cathy, on the other hand, seemed to understand the message Melbourne was trying to spread. Food was Cathy’s drug of choice. Food talked to her sister and consumed a large percentage of her thoughts.
“Have you seen Anthony Melbourne’s infomercial?” Cathy asked.
“The guy is incredible. Was he as good looking in person as he is on television?”
Men like Melbourne did not appeal to Lizzy. He looked like a mountain of testosterone, but she hated to burst her sister’s bubble so she skirted the subject altogether. “He seemed like a nice guy.”
“After all these years,” Cathy went on, still animated, “this is the irst time I ind myself warming to the idea of you being a private eye. I mean, it’s not all about guns and danger, is it?”
“Not even close.” Lizzy drank from the water glass that the waitress dropped off and thought about all of the paperwork waiting for her at the of ice. “I signed up for one of Melbourne’s personal training classes. One hour five days a week.”
“So you already saw him this morning! How was it?”
“It’s a private class and yet there were six other women there this morning. He took it easy on us today, but I’m sore just thinking about it.”
“Is there room for one more?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Look at me. I’ve gained thirty pounds since Richard left. My weight is getting out of control. If you can do Melbourne’s routine, then I know I can do it.”
“What do you mean by that?” Lizzy asked.
“You might be thin, but you’re in horrible shape,” Cathy said without ilters. “Every time we take a walk, you’re out of breath and red in the face. You’ve never exercised a day in your life. At least I used to do track and field and run four miles a day.”
She had a point. “I’ll call his office later and see if I can add you on.”
“Great. I’ll help keep an eye on him for you.”
“I bet you will.” They both laughed, and then made room on the table for their food. Fast, efficient, delicious: exactly why Lizzy liked to eat at Mikuni’s. As soon as the waitress walked away, Lizzy took a bite of her tuna; it melted in her mouth. “Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Lizzy said.
“I also signed up for Melbourne’s retreat that’s being held at the Granlibakken Conference Center in Lake Tahoe. Want to tag along just for fun?”
“What would I do about Brittany?”
“Hayley would be there,” Lizzy reminded her, “but if it would make you feel better I could ask Jessica to stay at your house for the weekend, too. She doesn’t start school for another few weeks and she loves hanging out with Brittany.”
Cathy seemed excited at the prospect of getting out of the house and doing something different. Although Lizzy had never cared for Cathy’s soon to be ex-husband, Richard, it was easy to see that her sister had been lonely since he moved out.
“Let me talk to Brittany,” Cathy said, “but yes, I think a little getaway is just what I need.”
Lizzy agreed. For the irst time in a long while she felt the gap between her and her sister shrinking. After Lizzy was abducted, their parents had allowed their grief to consume them. Even after Lizzy escaped the madman’s clutches and returned home, her parents were unable to come to grips with what had happened: blaming the world, blaming each other, blaming Lizzy.
To get some much needed attention at the time, Cathy ended up pregnant and eloped with Richard Warner. Her niece, Brittany, had been the by-product of that union. No regrets.
“Speaking of
“Have you seen Anthony Melbourne’s infomercial?” Cathy asked.
“The guy is incredible. Was he as good looking in person as he is on television?”
Men like Melbourne did not appeal to Lizzy. He looked like a mountain of testosterone, but she hated to burst her sister’s bubble so she skirted the subject altogether. “He seemed like a nice guy.”
“After all these years,” Cathy went on, still animated, “this is the irst time I ind myself warming to the idea of you being a private eye. I mean, it’s not all about guns and danger, is it?”
“Not even close.” Lizzy drank from the water glass that the waitress dropped off and thought about all of the paperwork waiting for her at the of ice. “I signed up for one of Melbourne’s personal training classes. One hour five days a week.”
“So you already saw him this morning! How was it?”
“It’s a private class and yet there were six other women there this morning. He took it easy on us today, but I’m sore just thinking about it.”
“Is there room for one more?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Look at me. I’ve gained thirty pounds since Richard left. My weight is getting out of control. If you can do Melbourne’s routine, then I know I can do it.”
“What do you mean by that?” Lizzy asked.
“You might be thin, but you’re in horrible shape,” Cathy said without ilters. “Every time we take a walk, you’re out of breath and red in the face. You’ve never exercised a day in your life. At least I used to do track and field and run four miles a day.”
She had a point. “I’ll call his office later and see if I can add you on.”
“Great. I’ll help keep an eye on him for you.”
“I bet you will.” They both laughed, and then made room on the table for their food. Fast, efficient, delicious: exactly why Lizzy liked to eat at Mikuni’s. As soon as the waitress walked away, Lizzy took a bite of her tuna; it melted in her mouth. “Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Lizzy said.
“I also signed up for Melbourne’s retreat that’s being held at the Granlibakken Conference Center in Lake Tahoe. Want to tag along just for fun?”
“What would I do about Brittany?”
“Hayley would be there,” Lizzy reminded her, “but if it would make you feel better I could ask Jessica to stay at your house for the weekend, too. She doesn’t start school for another few weeks and she loves hanging out with Brittany.”
Cathy seemed excited at the prospect of getting out of the house and doing something different. Although Lizzy had never cared for Cathy’s soon to be ex-husband, Richard, it was easy to see that her sister had been lonely since he moved out.
“Let me talk to Brittany,” Cathy said, “but yes, I think a little getaway is just what I need.”
Lizzy agreed. For the irst time in a long while she felt the gap between her and her sister shrinking. After Lizzy was abducted, their parents had allowed their grief to consume them. Even after Lizzy escaped the madman’s clutches and returned home, her parents were unable to come to grips with what had happened: blaming the world, blaming each other, blaming Lizzy.
To get some much needed attention at the time, Cathy ended up pregnant and eloped with Richard Warner. Her niece, Brittany, had been the by-product of that union. No regrets.
“Speaking of
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