Page 96 of Little Bitter Truths
By the time Mia and I arrived at the Blue Pelican, the late lunch crowd had thinned, leaving behind a softer hum of conversation and the occasional clink of silverware against plates.The restaurant sat near the water, bright and airy, with wide windows overlooking the coastline and a row of blue glass pendant lights hanging over the bar.
It was the kind of place people came to enjoy a quiet meal with a view.
Not the kind of place people came to untangle family damage.
But here we were.
Mia slowed as we approached the hostess stand, her gaze shifting toward the dining room.“I don’t see them yet.”
“I’m sure they’ll be here.Renee isn’t going to pass up an opportunity to spend every possible moment with you.”
“Yeah, well, I have mixed feelings about it, as you well know.”She adjusted the strap of her handbag on her shoulder.“I feel bad saying that after they came all this way to see me and offer support.”
The hostess greeted us, and before I could get any words out, a voice rang out from across the dining room.“Mia!You’re here!”
Renee was standing by a table near the windows, waving with enough enthusiasm to direct air traffic.Bryan sat across from her, calm and composed, offering a smile and a wave when he spotted us.
Mia took in a breath.
“You can do this,” I said.
“I know,” though she didn’t sound convinced.
We walked to the table, and Renee stepped into the aisle before Mia had a chance to prepare herself.She hugged Mia again, not in the same forceful manner she had the first time in the driveway, but with enough emotion that Mia’s shoulders tensed.
We sat, and the hostess handed us menus before disappearing into the kitchen.
Renee clasped her hands together on the table, her eyes fixed on Mia like she was afraid looking away might break whatever fragile thread had pulled them together.“I can’t tell you how happy I am that we’re spending time together.I know the circumstances are awful, and I wish things were different, but being here with you now … it means a lot.”
Mia offered a small smile.“It means something to me too.”
The words were simple, but it was obvious they meant something to Renee.I saw emotion building in her eyes, but before it had a chance to spill over, the waiter arrived at our table.
He introduced himself, took our drink orders, and promised to return with water.
Mia ordered iced tea.Bryan asked for coffee.Renee chose sparkling water with lemon, and I ordered water and coffee because it felt like the kind of day that required both.
Once the waiter stepped away, Bryan leaned back and looked at me.
“I hope you don’t mind me asking,” he said, “but is there one suspect who stands out more than the others yet?”
Mia’s eyes flicked toward me, and I knew the name she was thinking.
Jeremy.
What happened between them was still too raw, and I didn’t think Mia needed to relive it over lunch with a cousin she didn’t see all that often, so I chose someone else instead.
“There are a few people I’m looking at,” I said.“One of them is Mia’s neighbor, Adrian.”
Bryan looked between us.“What happened with him?”
“The short version is that Adrian has a Saint Bernard named Moose,” I said.
“Had,” Mia corrected.“I mean, still has, I hope.I don’t know.He’s missing.Sorry.Continue.”
“Moose kept wandering onto Mia’s lawn and relieving himself.”
Renee blinked.“Oh.”
