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The brute took note ofpresence I had no choice but to leave Just as I turned, another woman came in I’d waited on her at the café A part-tiuh the roof

"This is pretty," I said, pointing to the necklace so I could hang around a bit longer

"Hi, Willia, Ellen I have your laaze at the brute as though asking peret the box

"I’ to look great in my foyer Oh, Natalieis okay" She was fishing Must’ve been running low on scandal

"Oh, yes, I’m sorry" Mr V walked back to the counter, box in hand "We had a fao to ue drew her closer as the ossip slid inside her ears "I hope everything is okay"

’Nother lie

"Yes Yes" He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his aquiline nose "It’s fine Mywith her this week"

She took the box, her razor-sharp gaze raking over hi? She let a calculated s hello when you talk to her And tell your"

He forced a soft laugh, but I felt fear radiate out of hienuine, so dire, it pulled the air froossip-worthy, the hairdresser waved a saucy good-bye and left with her lamp Mr V cleared his throat when he realized I was still waiting Dug into a pocket Dropped several coins on the floor but ignored theh the se?"

It tookto pay ain

"It enty-seven" I waited a second as he counted out the bills and another nice tip before adding, "But you already paid lasses, he flushed "I did, didn’t I?"

I gave him a sympathetic nod

"Sorry" He stuffed the bills back into his pocket "Did you want to look at soo over well My only question at thethe letters W-T-F – revolved around howto Mr V in case the ue as I was in his, and I didn’t know enough about the situation to try to signal the anxious storeowner

"Nothing I can afford," I said with a teasing grin "Have a good day"

He took off his glasses and began to clean theh half the sandwich and was glued to the ain, but I doubted very seriously he had any interest in Mr V’s copy of Antiques & Fine Art

I’d had zero intention of getting involved when I walked in By the ti it alone Mr V was in such a state of distress, I was ier would he be able to keep up the charade? He was cracking inch by inch Whatever his new friends were up to, there were at least four involved That bag held four sandwiches, none of which Mr V could eat He was allergic to eggs, yet he’d specifically ordered mayo on all four

I opened the door and listened to the cheery chime of the bell, so at odds with the cliid air served only as a reminder that I was not dressed for the frozen tundra But a picture caughtIt was on a shelf, meant to display one of the antique fran by it with a child’s writing that read, For sale: Frame 50 Parents 4995 OBO

I let the door close behind ht a shiver To display the frame, Mr V had put a picture of himself and his family in it I knew that faed to Mr V They came into the café a couple of tieous She looked like an islander with exotic coloring and thick black hair Her children were a combination of the blond-haired, blue-eyed Mr V and the rich dark colors of his wife

Their names were Joseph and Jaser, six or seven perhaps I re partly because of the combination of dark hair on both of theht," Jasmine had said to me as I took their order