“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen those guys huddled together like they’re planning a Hail Mary pass in the last seconds of the game,” Jeff said. “But Hovering Mama is a new touch.”
Jonas said something that elicited a nod from Brian and a glower from Shawn, which Dee had come to consider his go-to expression. The conversation ended and the three started on their separate ways. Millie put a hand on Brian’s arm. He brushed it away and tromped off. Millie, face creased with worry, took a step to follow him, then changed her mind. She crossed the street toward the café.
Dee ducked behind her menu. “She’s coming this way,” she said to Jeff, sotto voce. “And I bet she could use an ear.”
She made a show of studying her menu as Millie approached the café, then feigned delighted surprise at sighting the retired teacher. “Millie? Hi.”
“Hello.” Millie’s response was polite, but strained.
“Are you having lunch? Don’t eat alone. Come join us.” Dee motioned to the table’s empty seat. Jeff flashed a warm, welcoming smile.
Millie hesitated. She resumed her apparently nervous habit of playing with her basket handle. After a moment, she came to a decision. “Some company would be lovely. Thank you.”
She joined them at the table, bringing a sweet perfume from the basket of flowers with her. The young waiter came over to take her order. “A bowl of Chow Call Chowder, please.”
“That sounds delicious,” Dee said. She addressed the waiter. “I’ll take a bowl of the chowder too.”
“Make that three,” Jeff said. “Along with a basket of Rascally Rolls and butter. Thanks.”
The waiter left. Millie placed her basket at her feet. She seemed to have relaxed slightly, and Dee sensed an opening.
“Are you okay?” she asked, feigning concern. “I get the feeling something’s bothering you.”
The teacher’s worried expression reappeared. “Is it that obvious?”
Dee and Jeff simultaneously gave sympathetic nods. “Whatever it is, it might help to talk about it,” Dee said.
Millie’s brow creased. “I don’t want to bother you with my problems.”
“It’s no bother,” Dee said. “Really.”
“You need to talk, we’re here for you,” Jeff added.
“Thank you,” Millie said. “That’s very kind. Especially since people in town haven’t been the most welcoming to you.” She paused, then said in a quiet voice, “It’s Brian. He got into some kind of business deal instigated by Jonas. Brian won’t tell me anything, but from the bits and pieces I’ve picked up, I gather it’s not going well.”
“Ah,” Dee said. “That must be hard on you as a mother. Feeling like your son is in trouble and not being able to help him.”
“Yes.” Millie’s head bobbed up and down. Her expression darkened. “It’s that Jonas, I’m sure. I don’t trust the likes of him one bit.”
“Have you picked up anything specific about the business?” Jeff asked as she hid her disappointment at hearing another person, in addition to Elmira, reveal they had doubts about Jonas. “Maybe Dee and I could look into it for you.”
“All I know is it involves a run-down old building in West Camp. I heard Brian say something about storage.”
The word jogged a memory for Dee and she bit her lip to keep from letting out an exclamation as she linked it to the current conversation. The waiter brought their chowder, and Dee managed to control her eagerness to pursue the possible clue. She and Jeff made small talk with Millie as they ate. She didn’t reveal anything else that might be helpful, but the moteliers earned goodwill they hoped she would share with other locals, especially after they told her the cost of her soup was covered.
“I’ve had these flowers out of water too long,” Millie said, rising to leave. “This has been lovely. I can’t thank you enough for lunch and for letting me share my concerns with you.” She again appeared worried. “Although I probably shouldn’t have said anything. Please keep our conversation between us.”
“Absolutely,” Dee said.
“Cone of silence.” Jeff mimed a cone over his head.
Assuaged by their promises, Millie left. Dee made sure she was far out of earshot, then leaned into Jeff. “Millie doesn’t know it, but she dropped a big clue for us. You know how she mentioned an old building and said she heard the word ‘storage’ come up? When I brought up Michael to Shawn Radinsky, he said he hadn’t seen or talked to him since he helped move belongings from Michael’s family’s lake house into a storage facility in West Camp.”
Jeff put down the sourdough roll he was about to bite into, which would have been his third of the meal. “The run-down building Millie mentioned could be the facility Radinsky was talking about. And whatever business deal Jonas Jones roped the others into could have something to do with Baker’s family’s stuff.”
“Exactly.” Dee buzzed with an energy she hadn’t felt since she and Jeff had embarked on their amateur sleuthing. “We need to find that storage facility.”
CHAPTER 23
The café proved to be the perfect location, allowing Dee and Jeff to keep an eye out for Jonas while searching the Goldsgone Realty website for a West Camp storage facility currently on the market.
“Nothing’s coming up,” Jeff said, scrolling through the agency’s listings.
“Either Jonas is representing it on his own or it’s a back-pocket listing,” Dee said. “You know, one of those listings that’s not being made public for whatever reason.”
“Everything about this business deal Millie mentioned seems stealth, so my money’s on the former.”
Dee wrinkled her brow as she contemplated a course of action. “If we’re going to find this building, we may have to follow Jonas and hope he leads us there.”
Jeff looked doubtful. “Sounds like the waste of a day and gas. Or electricity if we take my car. He could be going anywhere, and we could end up nowhere.”
“I know it’s a reach. But I’m trying to lay this out like a storyline.” Dee broke it down for Jeff. “Scene: Three guys huddle together talking over a business deal. They break apart. All look unhappy. Concerned. It’s not going well. Based on what Millie said, along with Shawn’s comment to me about a storage facility and Jonas being a central figure, I think we’re safe assuming the deal involves real estate. If I were scripting this, I’d give Jonas the drive of trying to salvage the deal. I’d send him to the site to search for any angle he might have missed.”
“That’s fiction,” Jeff said, still doubtful.
“Yes,” Dee acknowledged. “But good fiction is inspired by honest and believable human behavior.”
Jeff drummed on the table with his fingers, mulling this over. Then he stopped drumming. “Sure. Why not? It’s not like we’ve got guests to check in.”
