18

I wrapped my housecoat around me as the light streaming in the bedroom window waned and the sun set. Philip would arrive soon. I turned on the lamp on the wicker nightstand, and the click echoed in the room. Sure enough, the doorbell rang as I pulled on a pair of gray pants. I threw on a royal blue blouse and answered.

“Hi, I’m itching to know what you found out in the shop. I’ve never seen Bob’s as dead as it was today. Of course, when I wanted those creeps to come in, no one ate lunch there but a couple state troopers, several groups of women, and two ladies with babies.”

Thank goodness. He could’ve gotten himself in a dangerous situation if those hoodlums had shown. “That is unusual.” I put my arms around his neck and hugged him. “I don’t know if it’s important or not, but Angel Epps and Missy Longman overheard two strangers in the drugstore mention you and Mr. Jacobsen. Missy said they discussed where you were staying. Remember, we wondered if someone cased out your room. It’s possible they did.”

Philip’s eyes widened. “Mr. Jacobsen’s so eccentric. I bet somebody figured out he’d hand me the cash, but who? I’d like to eat in Merchantville where we can talk without anyone in Triville hearing us.”

“OK.”

He helped me into the old car, drove through town, and headed toward the expressway. “This thing’s amazing. She keeps humming along.”

“Lloyd’s a talent.”

Philip leaned back in his seat as though he enjoyed driving to the Airport Central Hotel. He parked then helped me out of the car and put his arm around my waist as we followed a sidewalk illuminated with in-ground lights. We whirled in a revolving door that opened to a huge lobby filled with people winding around plush leather chairs and potted plants.

Philip marched to an open-air cafe with a brass rail in the back of the room and approached the host. “Could we sit there, please?” He pointed to a waterfall running over a rocky wall from the second story into a small pool lined with ferns and large dieffenbachia plants.

“Sure.” The host escorted us to a black wrought iron table beside the cascade and laid down two menus. “Enjoy your meal.”

Philip scooted his chair as close to the water as he could. “Move over.”

I did.

He pulled up the table. “This is perfect. The roar will obscure everything we say.” He patted the back of my seat.

“If we don’t drown and we can hear each other.”

Philip laughed.

It was good to see his mood lighten.

“What would you like to drink?” The waiter seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Philip placed his palm on the menu. “Do you have sweet tea in Merchantville?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll have that with the roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry jelly.”

“That sounds good. The same for me, please.”

The waiter left and Philip peered at me with anxious blue eyes. “OK, what did these guys in the drugstore look like? Do you think they were the same two we saw at Bob’s Diner?”

“I suspect they are. Unfortunately, neither Angel nor Missy could describe them.”

Philip stiffened. “How’s that possible?”

“They were both pre-occupied with something else. Of course, Mandy probably could detail everyone who entered the store, but if we asked her, she’d not only insist on knowing why we inquired, she’d tell everyone who came in we were interested in two strangers. They’d all speculate on...”

Philip held up his hand before I finished the sentence. “No. We don’t want to involve Mandy.”

The waiter served our food then Philip leaned closer to me. “Does anyone in town know Mr. Jacobsen keeps money in the freezer?” he whispered.

I sipped my drink. Apparently, he intended to take no chances, even though we were miles from the inquiring ears of Triville. “He’s so reclusive. I don’t think so.”

Philip cut off a bite of turkey.

If he hadn’t taken time to deal with my supplies he might have made more progress solving his problem and he wouldn’t be so stressed. I had to help him, but I didn’t know what to do. “Why don’t we enjoy our dinner and then brainstorm. I’ve never been in this hotel. It’s beautiful.”

“We’ll have to come back often.”

He wouldn’t be close enough to return to this hotel. If he lived up to his claim to fly in on the weekends, I could meet him here on Thursday or Friday evenings. Now I was starting to think like him. It was all a big fantasy, but I didn’t want to say anything to upset him anymore than he already was.

We scraped our plates, and the waiter showed up to take our dessert orders.

I asked for tiramisu, and Philip did too.

He looked as though he’d run a marathon and was about to collapse from exhaustion.

I rubbed my temples as if the action would activate my brain cells, and I’d find an answer. It didn’t, but the repetitive motion made me block out everything around me and concentrate. “It has to be the strangers who took Mr. Jacobsen’s money. No one I know personally would steal. I’m friends with nearly everybody in Triville, or I was before I ruined their hair.”

“Now that you have decent products they’ll look like movie stars.”

“Movie stars?” I chuckled.

The waiter served our treats.

“Do you think these dudes will come back to the drugstore? Should I hang out there?” Philip scooped up a forkful of dessert.

I’d wondered the same thing. “It’d be a start.”

The waiter placed the bill on the table.

Philip paid then we left and trekked to the car.

“I’ll be in that drugstore tomorrow if and when these guys return. They’ll not slip by me.” Determination lined Philip’s voice as he backed out.

“If you see them and they leave, follow them at a safe distance. Don’t confront them or do anything dangerous until we have time to come up with a plan, and I can go with you.”

Philip grunted.

I took it as an agreement.

Philip pulled onto the interstate toward Triville and took off. In no time it seemed he’d gotten off the expressway, turned into my driveway, and parked.“If the thieves are professionals they could copy a motel key card. What if I didn’t put the bolt on the door?”

“Oh, no. That could explain the theft.” I thought for a moment. “It’s too late to change that now, but I think you’re onto something. See what you can do tomorrow in the drugstore, and I’ll keep my ears open in the shop.” With every bone in my body I wanted to encourage Philip and then nail those criminals.

He accompanied me to the door, ran his hand from my cheek to my neck and pulled me close. His lips brushed against mine then he kissed me deep and long.

“I’m exhausted. I have to get some rest, so I’ll be alert tomorrow.” He peered at me with steady eyes. “My future...our future depends on getting back the money soon.”

How could we have a future?

I grabbed him around the neck and hugged him tight. “Good luck with your sleuthing.”

“Thanks, I’ll call. We’ll get together tomorrow night.”

“We won’t give up until you have the cash back.”

Philip plodded to the car with his head lowered.

What did Philip mean by our future? His words played in my head. But first, we had to recover Mr. Jacobsen’s investment.