by Marja McGraw
“Don’t go getting hysterical on me,” she said.
She hiccupped again and started laughing with me.
It didn’t take long to calm down.
“Is your job always like this?” she asked.
“I’m a private eye. Draw your own conclusions.”
“If I were younger, I might make you my muse,” she said.
It seemed like we were talking about a lot of nothing.
“Don’t take offense, Eloise, but something has really been bugging me.”
“What’s that?”
“You need to do something about those bushy eyebrows.”
“I hate plucking.”
“Felicity can show you some tricks. You’re such an attractive woman, except for the brows.”
“I have a mirror. I know what I look like.” She paused. “Do you really think so?”
“I do.”
She smiled. “Even though the case is over, I hope we can stay friends.”
“Me, too. You’re one heck of a lady.”
We sat quietly while my shaking abated.
“I’m going to get someone in here to fix this place up. It’ll be better than ever. Now that I have all that money, it won’t be an issue. I will get the money, right?”
“Probably. I don’t see why not. I know a guy in the construction business. He’s a friend of a friend. They call him Big D, and he’s good at what he does. There’s just one thing. Don’t tell him anything you don’t have to about what’s been going on. His wife is a reporter.”
She told me some of what her plans were for the place, and number one was to keep it as a picture of the thirties.
We waited for Pete and the food.
“Butch likes me, no matter what my eyebrows look like.”
Apparently my comment had struck a nerve.
We started laughing again, and I imagined it was nervous laughter. No matter what the reason, it’s good for the soul.
Pete returned with food and we ate like it was our last meal, which it could have been if we’d eaten before Marcus arrived.
After we were done, I followed Eloise home just to make sure she was okay.
All threats had been taken care of thanks to Rick and the local jail.
I met Pete at home. After giving him a life-threatening hug, I got down on the floor and played with the dogs.
“Clementine, would you stop licking me?” She would not be denied.
All was right with the world again.
Epilogue
About a week after we closed the Gin Mill Grill case, the door to the office opened and Marcus’ mother walked in. She was no longer the hard-nosed old biddy I’d met in the past and actually smiled at me.
“Mrs. Goldberg, I want to thank you. I know the entire story now. I had no idea my son was going through such hell. His attorney is going to see if he can get him off with the promise of mental health care.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but she raised her hand to shush me.
“I understand that you stuck up for Marcus. It took an exceptional woman to do that after what he put you through. You have my undying gratitude.”
Pete stood and walked over to us. “My wife is an exceptional woman, like you said.”
She didn’t stay, but left an envelope on my desk before leaving. In it was a Thank You card and a check. Her note said she felt we deserved the money for all the work we put into the case.
Will wonders never cease? We’d ended up with two paying clients for one case, although Rose Windsor wasn’t really a client.
~ * ~
Three months later Eloise came in to see me. We’d kept in touch and met for lunch a few times, and she’d gone with me to visit Estelle, but for the most part she’d been busy with the diner. “The work is done at the Gin Mill Grill, and you were right about Big D. He not only did a fantastic job, but he found me a new tenant.”
Bubba and Clem were with me that day, and she brought Butch. The dogs did they’re sniffing behinds act before settling down.
Felicity and Stanley had gone to lunch, and they returned while she was talking to me.
Felicity’s baby bump was growing.
Eloise smiled at her and patted her thinned eyebrows. “You certainly know what you’re doing, little mother.”
My friend smiled at her. “And you look mahvelous, dahling.”
“Eloise was just telling me that Big D finished the work on the diner. He even found someone to lease it.”
“Oh, yes, and it’s someone you know.”
“Really? Who might that be?”
“Chris Cross and his wife, Pamela. You know, they have that forties-themed high end restaurant across town – Bogey Nights. Well, they want to keep this as a thirties-themed diner and they’ll be ready in about a month. We’re all invited to the grand opening.”
“Good ol’ Chris,” I said. “What’s he going to call the place?”
“He’s keeping it the Gin Mill Grill. He thought the name was catchy. I like Pamela, too. His wife is funny. Oh, and they brought their son, Mikey, with them when they came to scope out the place.”
“Well, they’re good people and they’ll turn the diner into one of the hottest places in town. I guarantee it.”
~ * ~
My mother called about Felicity’s due date. “Frank is going to run the bed and breakfast and I’ll be driving over from Arizona to help out. After all, Grandma Livvie should be there for the big event. Oh, and your Aunt Martha may come, too.”
“Don’t you think that might be too much for Felicity?”
My mother and Aunt Martha? It might be too much for me. Or Pete.
“Not on your life. She and Stan will love having us around.”
“You might want to clear it with them first.”
“Already done. Martha and I will be there with bells on. Be prepared because you know how my sister can be.”
My mother’s plans meant two things to me.
One, a total upheaval of our lives.
Two? Every time my mother was around we ended up with a big case, and the threat of danger.
What would we all be getting into with our visitors?
Oh, good grief!
END