Page 28 of Old Money
“He basically lived on our couch in high school, so yes,” I say, continuing without thinking. “And I’m actually working for him this summer, at the club.”
Her eyes go wide.
“Wow.”
“It’s a temp gig,” I add. “Anyway, yes, I still know him.”
We nod at each other silently. Am I dealing with Jamie’s friendly ex or Jamie’s ex who happens to be friendly?
“Me too—still friends, don’t worry,” she chuckles, answering my thought. “You kind of have to be around here.”
“Small town.” I shrug.
Jessie points at me.
“Smallvillage,” we say together. A bit of local semaphore.
We both laugh more than necessary, relieved to have the awkward, whispery moment behind us. Jessie double-checks her computer screen and hands my credit card back to me. She asks me to say hi to Jamie, and I tell her I will. I zip my bag shut, and look up to say goodbye and thanks, but Jessie’s face has changed again. Still friendly, still wide-eyed, but with a brittle tension.
“Are you?” she asks softly. “Are you trying to get it reopened?”
I look back, speechless. Her eyes are locked on mine, her face so clearly trying to say something, and for the first time, I can’t read it.
“I don’t know,” I answer. “Maybe.”
“I just wondered,” she says, eyes still steady. “Because, as I’m sure you know, there will be a public notice of this request.”
What?
“It’s village law,” she says, nodding. “Anytime someone requests records, they put a notice in the local newspaper. Usually within the month.”
I nod slowly, trying to think.
“Alice?” Jessie tilts her head, pulling my focus back. “It might be sooner than that. Slow summer. You know?”
I step back, my body pulling me toward the door, wanting to move—to get going onsomething.
“Right,” I say, taking another step. “Thanks for reminding me. I’ll—I’ll keep an eye out.”
I turn, hurrying for the door, glancing back as I pull it open. She smiles.
“I will too.”
Chapter Thirteen
“You didn’t,” says Theo. “Firecodes?”
He peels the paper top off an aluminum take-out container. The salad inside is packed tight, covered with fat slices of red onion and studded with olives.
“I did. Oh man, is that Giordano’s?”
“Obviously.” He stacks the salad on top of the pizza box, sliding it across the kitchen island. “Jules, are you hearing this?!”
“Huh?!” she calls from the hallway bathroom, where she and Isaac are cleaning his fish tank.
“Alice caught Mr. Brody in a fire violation!”
Jules comes in, drying her hands on a washcloth.
