Jane and Leslie followed a young woman to a table next to a brightly painted wall in the Red Fez restaurant. As they sat down, Jane said, “Boy, I’m glad you made reservations.”
Leslie glanced around. “I’ve never seen the place so packed. It’s probably because of homecoming—and the reunion. We often have special events going on in town on weekends, especially in the summer and early fall, but this is unusual.”
They had to shout to be heard.
“Must mean the word-of-mouth on this place is good,” said Jane.
Leslie gazed at her a bit too long, looking a little too happy.
“Careful. People will notice.”
“I don’t care. You look beautiful tonight.”
Jane rarely blushed, but she did now. “I’ll give you my thoughts on how you look later. In private.”
Leslie’s smile widened. “Let’s hope the food here pleases the gourmet.”
“I’m easier to please than you might expect.” Jane was just glad they’d finally found some time to get together.
“How’s the podcast investigation going?” asked Leslie, opening the menu.
“It’s picking up. I got a text right before I left the lake house. My producer is pretty pleased with what I’ve been digging up.”
“Anything you care to share?”
“Not at the moment. But I will, when I can.”
Jane was starting to feel a bit anxious about what she’d set in motion. Before arriving at the restaurant, she’d stopped by the motel to pick up the room key. Monty had been in the middle of a heated conversation with an annoyed customer, which meant she didn’t have to answer any probing questions about Becca.
“Oh, they have the couscous tfaya tonight,” said Leslie. “It’s lamb with these sweet, spicy caramelized onions and raisins. The tagines are also good. One tagine serves two. They bring the clay pot right to the table.”
Jane wished the noise level wasn’t quite so loud. Shouting wasn’t a good way to conduct an intimate conversation.
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Leslie.
“Should we order our food to go?”
That elicited another smile.
As they decided on what to get, a large figure loomed over the table.
“Cordelia,” said Jane, glancing up. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, you know, I was in the neighborhood.”
“Nice to see you again,” said Leslie, smiling at her. “Listen, Jane, I need to use the restroom. On my way back, I’ll put in our order.”
Jane waited for Cordelia to sit down on the chair Leslie had just vacated. “You’re wearing a red fez.”
“When in Rome,” she said, “Or in this case, Casablanca. I’d sing a few bars of ‘As Time Goes By,’ but you wouldn’t be able to hear me.”
“Where’d you get it?”
“Where else? My trunk.”
“Do you always travel with a red fez?”
“Not always, but often. Why is this only a table for two?”
“Because there are only two of us having dinner.”
“But what about me? You knew I was coming.”
“I did?”
“You asked me to give you my official take on Leslie. I am, after all, very experienced in these matters. We wouldn’t want to have another Julia situation on our hands, would we?” She pulled the menu over and began perusing it. “I had to park half a mile away. That was one long walk. I don’t suppose they serve black-cherry soda.”
“I doubt it.”
“Blather. Have you ordered us any wine?”
“I’m sorry, Cordelia, I really didn’t realize you were coming tonight.”
“You asked me to. I said I would.”
“Yeah, but … the thing is. Leslie is a wonderful person.”
“Yet to be determined.”
“No, I mean, I think you can trust my judgment on this one. Besides, we’re not even dating—officially.”
“Come on, Janey. I saw the way you were looking at each other.”
It was an argument she wasn’t going to win. “Look, whatever our relationship is, or turns out to be, Leslie and I have decided to order our food to go. It’s too loud in here to talk.”
“Well then, what did you order for me?”
“Um, well—”
Cordelia narrowed one eye. “Spit it out, Jane. You’re obviously trying to communicate.”
“It’s just—”
“I’m not invited. Is that it? You feel you don’t need my expertise?”
Jane hated to hurt her feelings, but she didn’t need Cordelia tagging along. “Right.”
“Proceed at your peril,” she said portentously.
“I’m not going to marry her. At least not tonight. There will be plenty of time for you to get to know her.”
“All right. I won’t belabor the point, at least not now. I will expect a full report in the morning. Anyway, before I go, I should tell you that Wilburn Lowry called. He couldn’t find the business card you gave him, but he knew we were staying with Emma, so he called the lake house.”
“What did he want?”
“For you to call him first thing tomorrow morning. He said he needs to talk to you, that it’s vitally important.”
“Vitally? He didn’t say anything else?”
“No. Now, as long as you’re leaving the table unoccupied, maybe I’ll stay and have dinner.”
Jane hated to think of her eating alone.
“Emma has that final meeting with the reunion committees tonight. She asked me what I was doing for dinner. I think I’ll call her and tell her to join me. She doesn’t have to be over to the VFW hall until seven-thirty.”
“Great idea,” said Jane. “Are you coming to the art festival event in the morning? They’re announcing the silent-auction winners.”
“I suppose I’ll have to be there,” said Cordelia. “I don’t know why they schedule these things so early.”
When Leslie returned, she drew an unused chair away from another table and sat down. “It will be a few more minutes.”
Cordelia backed up a few inches and stared down her nose at Leslie. “Since we have some time, why don’t we get some basic details out of the way.”
“Details?”
“Date of birth. Place of birth. Yearly income. Dating history. Religious and political affiliation.”
Leslie looked at Jane, hoping for an explanation.
“I’m just kidding,” said Cordelia.
Jane let out a breath.
“There’s plenty of time for that later. But,” she added, adjusting her fez, “you’re a politician, my dear. In the few minutes we have remaining, perhaps you’d like to explain Brexit to me.”