Deeply, Desperately (29 page)

"Don't change the subject," I said.

"I was simply asking a question, LucyD," she said.

The door crashed open. Startled, I jumped as Preston stormed in, limping.

"How can he just vanish?" she asked, throwing her hands in the air. "Poof. Gone. How? You'd think that a man who was tossing twenties like rice at a wedding wouldn't escape unnoticed."

"The Lone Ranger?" Dovie asked.

"Struck again," Suz said, setting her desk to rights. She was fussy about what went where and Dovie had obviously been rifling for a while before we caught
her. "I had a hundred and forty dollars before Lucy made me give it all away to a homeless guy."

"He'll probably just drink it away." Mum sipped her coffee.

"That's what I said!" Suz shot me a look.

I sat on the edge of the couch. I could argue, but I was outnumbered.

"Well, I didn't get anything." Preston sighed. "Not any money, not a story, not anything. And I broke my heel." She sat next to Mum and peeled off her boot. The heel dangled sadly. "Someone had to have seen something."

"Doubtful." Dovie patted her hair to make sure it was still in place. Her stunning signature white locks had been loosely twisted into a knot at the base of her neck. "Once money starts flying, no one's going to notice anything but the green."

"I suppose you're right," Preston said, leaning back. "But there has to be a way to catch him." There was a look in her eyes I was coming to recognize. She was hatching a plan.

I checked my watch. Preston and I were meeting with a new client soon. The whole new-boyfriend conversation with Mum would have to wait until I had more time for a more prepared inquisition. "Are you two in town for a little shopping?" I asked Dovie.

"Actually, no," she answered.

"We came to see Sean."

"Sean? Why?" I scanned the headline.

LOCAL MAN STILL MISSING
.

"I'm hoping you won't mind sharing," Dovie said, "because I want to hire him."