Page 78 of Little Last Words
She elbowed me in my side and said, “Let’s not waste our time talking about the app. How is the investigation going? Any juicy details you care to share with your mother? What are you doing at the Sandler place?”
“How do you know who lives here?”
“Don’t be silly. I know just about everyone there is to know around here.”
It was true.
As someone who’d lived in Cambria for decades, a town with a population under six thousand, she’d met most of its residents at one stage or another.
“How do you know them?” I asked.
“I can’t say Iknow themknow them. The truth is, I saw where you were located, and I did a Google search to find out who lives here.”
As if on cue, the front door opened, and out came Whitlock, followed by Zachary and Vanessa. My mother rushed toward Whitlock, enveloping him in a big hug.
“I heard you were back on the job,” she said. “It’s wonderful to have you in town again. You must come over for one of our Sunday dinners so we can catch up. Maybe even Georgiana will decide to grace us with her presence next time. She’s so busy, you know. Not a moment to spare for family.”
They talked for a few minutes more, and then Whitlock excused himself and walked to his car. Zachary and Vanessa hopped in the Jeep and headed down the road. Whitlock followed close behind. I assumed the three of them were headed down to the police station to meet with Foley, as he’d suggested.
My mother thumbed in their direction and said, “What is it with these people, eh? Do they have anything to do with what happened to that poor dead woman?”
“I don’t know yet. Maybe.”
“You’ll figure it out, though I’m sure you could use all the help you can get.”
The comment had weight to it, and I felt like she was leading me somewhere.
I wondered where.
“I’m grateful you brought me lunch,” I said. “Is there any other reason you’re here?”
She nodded. “Now that you mention it, I have a bit of town gossip to pass along.”
“What gossip?”
She looked over her shoulder, lowering her voice as she said, “Not outside, in the open, where anyone can overhear our conversation.”
I looked up and down the street. “We’re alone, Mom, and if it’s town gossip, won’t everyone know about it already?”
“It seems like we’re alone. You never know who’s lurking around, though, do you? Shall we sit in the car?”
To speed things along, I agreed.
We got in, and I said, “All right, then. Out with it.”
“In a minute. Eat your sandwich first.”
“It’s been a long day, and I still have more stops to make. If there’s something I need to know, will you just tell me?”
She swished a hand through the air. “You’re no fun today. No fun at all.”
I was beginning to wonder if there wasn’t any information for her to relay after all. She was like this at times, stopping by unannounced, finding any reason she could think of to look after me and be part of my life. I may have acted like it bothered me, but I also found it sweet. It showed me how much she cared.
I removed the sandwich from the bag and took a bite. “This is good, Mom. Thank you. And thank you for thinking of me.”
She smiled. “That’s more like it. Isn’t this nice, mother and daughter, sitting next to each other in the car, swapping tidbits of information? How’s Giovanni, by the way? How was the trip to New York? Were you surprised when he popped the question?”
“A little. The way he went about it was perfect, and it was nice to see Daniela again after all these years.”