It was later, after they’d all laughed over the photos in the album—all of them agreeing that now Jeff looked more like the young Eli than Eli did today—that Chelsea asked about Grace Ridgeway.
Melissa wasn’t fooled. She went from laughing to serious in a second. “How do you know her?”
Chelsea started to prepare her words but Eli stepped in.
“We met her in a diner. Very nice lady who talked about little else but her teenage daughter, Abby. Grace said she was meeting someone, and later we saw some guy who looked like a bum come in. And we saw Grace hand him some money. She didn’t look rich, so we were concerned.”
Eli said all this without the least flicker of his eyes at his distorted truth. He just smiled and refilled everyone’s wineglass—except his own, Chelsea noted.
“Does the guy drive a beat-up old car?” Melissa asked. “Weeks ago I ticketed him for a broken taillight, but I haven’t seen that vehicle since.”
“That’s him,” Chelsea said. “You remember his name?”
“Yeah. The car was registered to Chester Arthur. I remember because it’s a president’s name.”
“And the driver’s license matched his name?” Eli asked.
“Sure,” Melissa said. “If it hadn’t, I would have reported it. But then, I couldn’t imagine that anyone would want to steal that old car. Don’t tell me it’s still running.”
“Yes,” Chelsea said before Eli could reply. “Actually, it runs quite well.”
“That’s because a new engine’s been put in,” Eli said. “The outside may be a wreck, but the inside’s out of Daytona.” He didn’t look at Chelsea.
That he knew that but hadn’t mentioned it so annoyed her that she kicked him under the table. He didn’t even wince. “What about Grace? Where does she work?”
“Frazier Motors. My boss’s family’s dealership. If you buy a vehicle, you go through the paperwork with Grace.”
When Eli and Chelsea leaned toward her, Melissa continued, “She’s a nice woman, been in Edilean about four years.”
“No problems?” Eli asked.
“What’s this about?” Melissa asked.
Jeff took her hand in his. “I told you that Eli can’t tell what he’s working on. Top Secret and all that.”
Melissa seemed to consider that for a moment. “The first year she was in town, she called us out in the night three times. She has a concrete block shed in the backyard, and she said it’s why she bought the house. Someone kept trying to break into it.”
“Did they succeed?” Eli asked.
“No,” Melissa said. “It has a heavy metal door on it. The old man who built it had a collection of old toys. His wife threatened to divorce him if he didn’t get rid of them, so he built the shed to house them. It’s pretty strong.”
“Alarm system on it?” Eli asked.
“Not that I know of, but the sheriff and I suggested she put up some lights around it. What’s in there?”
“I have no idea,” Eli said as he got up. “Anyone want more pie? What about you, Chels? It’s not lemon meringue but it’s still good.”
“Eli is determined that I gain weight.”
“I wanted that when I thought we had a future together,” Eli said. “But since I don’t play polo or drive a race car, I’m not in consideration.” His words were laced with so much anger that Melissa and Jeff looked at him with wide eyes.
But Chelsea knew that he was using a distraction technique. They’d done it when they were children. It looked like he wanted them to be alone. She got up to stand in front of him. “You flirted with every woman we saw.” She turned to Melissa and Jeff. “The real reason for all this interest in Grace Ridgeway is that he drools over her. His dream girl. Eli wants a woman who is chained to the stove. One who’ll wait at home for him, pop out umpteen babies, and pack his suitcase when he goes somewhere exciting.”
“Better than wasting my life living in hotels like you do. Aren’t you worried that you’re getting too old for those young men?”
“You think I’m old?” she said, her voice low. In a quick move, she put her hand at his neck and kissed him with all the passion that had been building inside her.
Eli drew her into his arms, his mouth opening over hers and nearly devouring her.