Page 40 of Abra's Acquisition
“It’s sausage and chicken gumbo,” Nora announces as she hauls the tureen into the room and places it on the table. “I heard about the baby. I’ll make sure to keep you and the little one in mind when I cook.”
Rey smiles in appreciation as she lowers herself into the chair I’m holding for her. “Thank you, Nora. I appreciate it,” Rey says.
“No problem. I also stocked up on saltine crackers, ginger ale, and herbal teas. Just let me know if there is anything special you’d like to eat, and I’ll add it to the menu.”
“You’re the best, Nora,” I say, taking my seat next to Rey.
With Danny’s help, Nora dishes out the aromatic meal while I fill the others in on what happened at the pawn shop.
“I was thinking. We might want to consider opening a pawn shop and adding it to our businesses,” Zip says. “You wouldn’t believe the stacks of money that asshole had in his safe.”
“What were you doing in his safe?” Hex asks.
“Looking for this,” Zip says, taking out the sheets of paper from his kutte and handing them to me. I give them to Rey. However, before she can unfold the paper and read what is inside, Cicero rushes into the room.
“I’ve found it! I was right. The De Villers brought The Widow and Black to the States when they fled France, but that’s not all. They brought five paintings in total, all by the same artist. Each one of them depicts an oak tree.”
“You think the paintings tie into the treasure?” I ask.
Cicero nods. “I think the paintings and the Harelquin figurine work together.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: REY
“How?” I ask Cicero.
The man beams at me. “I have no idea. But this is exciting!”
Everyone chuckles as Abra points at an empty chair. “Sit and eat. Take a few deep breaths and then tell us what you’ve found.”
Murmurs of pleasure, along with the clank of utensils against dishes, are the only sounds filling the space. I can’t blame anyone for not wanting to talk as they enjoy the fantastic food Nora prepared for us.
“This is amazing,” Cicero says when Nora steps out of the kitchen to ask if everything is okay. “I’ve never had gumbo this good before.” He beams at her. She blushes under his praise.
“I’m glad you like it,” Nora says.
“You should be a chef,” Cicero says, causing everyone to laugh.
“Nora is training to be a chef,” Cleo says, when Cicero looks confused at the laughter. “She’s close to graduating, and when she does, we’re helping her open a restaurant.”
“Really? Tell me when you open so I can buy all my meals from you,” Cicero says as he spoons another portion of gumbo into his bowl.
Abra shakes his head. “That’s not a bad idea. I have a feeling you don’t eat enough when you’re working.”
Cicero nods. “You’re right. I forget to eat when I get caught up in research. I think I’ve eaten more in the past two days than I’ve eaten in the past month.”
“We’ll let you know when the restaurant is open,” Cleo tells him.
“In the meantime, I’d be happy to come over and cook for you,” Nora says. “The more practice I have, the better. It’s one of the reasons I love being here. I get to practice feeding a large group every day.”
Cicero beams at Nora. “I’ll take you up on the offer, and I’ll pay you well.”
“Or you could prospect for us,” Hex says. “We’ve asked you before, but you’ve always turned us down.”
Cicero chews on his food as he considers Hex’s comment. “I thought you were joking,” he finally admits. “Why would you want me? I don’t think I’d make a good biker.”
“You won’t know until you try,” Hex persists. “Think about it. You could come on as a Prospect and see if you like it. We could use someone with your brains and loyalty.”
Cicero nods, but doesn’t verbally agree to Hex’s offer. I kind of hope he accepts Hex's offer. I like the man, and not just because he took care of Abra when Abra was living on the streets. Cicero is brave and very intelligent. The thought of him spending his days alone in his home with just his research to keep him company makes me sad. If he joined the Demon Dawgs, he could have both his research and a life with friends and adventure. Because from what I’ve seen of this group, they often encounter danger and face it head-on.
