Page 87 of Lost Hours
“See,” Nolan said. “I told you we needed to eat.”
She might want to get straight to work, but they could kill two birds with one stone. “I guess we can eat and do an update at the same time.”
“Indeed.” He took the files and laptop from her hands. “Fix yourself a plate, and I’ll put these down.”
She really didn’t need his help in putting files on the table, and she was just cranky enough that she almost snapped at him, but instead smiled up at him for his kindness. If they were to start dating after this was all over, she would have to get used to having someone in her life and not be so independent all the time. That would be a huge adjustment.
At the table, she picked up a large plate and scooped out ravioli, her mouth watering at the sight of the rich red sauce and thick noodle pillows.
Reece stepped in line behind her and retrieved a plate.
“Thanks for organizing the meal,” Mina said. “We had a big lunch, and I didn’t think I was hungry until I caught a whiff of the garlic.”
“No thanks needed.” Reece picked up a crusty slice of garlic bread. “It’s kind of my thing on the team. We often get so involved in our investigations that we don’t always remember to eat, and one thing I know for sure is, you have to maintain your own strength if you’re going to be able to help someone else.”
What she said made sense, and it helped Mina relax a bit and load her plate with spaghetti.
“It seems like you and Nolan have patched things up.” Reece eased closer to reach the spoon in the ravioli.
Mina glanced back at Nolan who was heading to the table, and he gave her a sweet smile. “I guess so.”
“Well, he seems far more relaxed and not tense with you, so it seems like from his point of view, things must be better.” She looked over her shoulder. “Case in point, that smile meant just for you.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” There had been more of an easiness between them, but Mina had been too wrapped up in the investigation to give it much thought.
“You know it nearly killed him when you didn’t respond to his note.” Reece narrowed her eyes. “He basically lost interest in everything, including the job he loved, and was lucky he didn’t get fired. He stopped eating and lost a lot of weight. When we all met in Portland for Christmas that year, we had to stage an intervention to get him to start eating properly. It’s hard to imagine him that way now, but it happened.”
She had no idea he’d reacted that badly or she’d had such an impact on him. She’d suffered too, but not to that extreme.
“If you’re not serious, let him know now before he falls hard again,” Reece warned. “Because I think this time it would kill him.”
She walked away with her plate, and Mina watched her move to the table.
Nolan stepped into place next to Mina. “You two look like you were having a serious conversation.”
“You know how it goes,” she said and grabbed some bread, then spun for the table before he asked additional questions.
By the time he joined her, she’d gotten out her folder and was sharing with the team the conversation with Smythe. “Has anyone run across information on Suited Elegance?”
“Not me,” Reece said.
The other team members murmured their nos.
“I’ll dig into the shop to see what I can find,” Hayden said. “Maybe even access their customer list.”
“Sometimes the old-fashioned way of doing things is the easiest,” Abby said. “We could interview the owner. If he’s an upright guy, and he hears a woman is missing and someone’s been murdered, he’s more likely than not to cooperate.”
Nolan reached for his water. “Are you volunteering to go?”
“Sure,” she said. “I’ve got all the files in order until we get any evidence files from Veritas, and Idohave the best interview skills of the team.”
“Modest too.” Jude laughed.
“I’m only speaking the truth.”
“She’s right,” Gabe said. “You don’t suffer as many years as a sheriff as she did without learning how to ask the right questions and probe when you don’t get the answers you want.”
She shot Gabe a shocked look. “Suffer?”
