Page 77 of Evidence of Secrets

He remembered Jaimie telling him she liked to walk around the Riverwalk on her days off because she liked the unique shops and sometimes had coffee at one of the upscale coffee shops. Maybe she was there.

Most importantly, he had to devise a plan to get into the bistro. Then out of the country. Ryan could feel Rocco and Fingers breathing down his neck.

CHAPTERFIFTY-FIVE

Laura finished working on the bills. It was the typical “robbing Peter to pay Paul” scenario she went through each month and, frankly, something she was tired of. Tired of stretching meals, worrying about paying staff or keeping the lights on. The running of the bistro was taking its toll on her mind and body.

What she really wanted to do was stay in bed with Hank for a week, have multiple orgasms, get up and sit out on the balcony drinking coffee or wine. Then repeat. Laura sighed. If wishes were horses… yada yada. Enough feeling sorry for herself. The pie should be about finished. She’d let it cool and then take it to Hank. Then relax with him for the day.

There was a knock on the back door. Whoever it was could go away. The bistro was closed.

“Laura?” Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Are you in there? Open up.”

It sounded like Jaimie knocking and shouting her name. Laura opened the door a crack. Jaimie rushed in.

“Oh, I’m so glad I caught you.”

“Whoa, Jaimie. What’s going on?”

“I found this at my apartment.” Jaimie held a piece of paper in her hand.

Laura reached for it and looked at Jaimie. It was a diagram. But of what?

“What is this?”

“Don’t you recognize it? It’s your kitchen.”

“Why do you have it?” Laura had no idea why a diagram of her kitchen would be important.

“I foundit in my apartment. Ryan must have dropped it.”

“Ryan?” Laura stared at it for a moment, then her eyes widened. “This is what he must have been looking for. A secret room. I wonder what’s in it?”

“Ryan kept asking about the bistro’s days as a speakeasy. I bet it has something to do with that,” said Jaimie.

“We need to get this to Sam and have her IT guy do some investigating.”

“There’s something else you need to know.”

“What?”

A shadow appeared behind Jaimie.

Jaimie rolled her eyes and crashed to the floor.

* * *

“Hello, Laura.”

The quizzical expression on Laura’s face almost made Ryan laugh. It was good fortune that he recognized Jaimie’s car parked at the back of the bistro. He wondered how he was going to find her. It was almost too easy.

And to have Laura there too? Good fortune squared. He wouldn’t have to worry about Laura catching him in the act.

“Oh, my God. You hit her. Why?” Laura scooched down to cradle Jaimie’s head on her lap.

“The why isn’t important. What you’re going to do is drag Jaimie into the cooler.”

---