Caught Bread Handed (26 page)

“You are quiet, now,” Carlos said after we were in the car and driving back out the gravel road.

“I'm just thinking,” I said.

“About us?”

“No. Well, yes. I'm always thinking about us, but at the moment I'm thinking about Jose. Did you know that he's planning to sell the vineyard? They're going to turn this organic land into a new housing development.”

Carlos sighed and shook his head. “I did know. Jose told me when we were working on your surprise. It is terrible, no? This land belongs to the grapes. It should not become houses.”

“I know, but it sounds like Jose has his mind made up. He said that the water bill has gotten too high with the drought.”

“Maybe he will find an investor.”

“Maybe, but he'll have to find one fast. It sounds like he's ready to sign the contract with Mathew.”

Carlos removed one hand from the steering wheel and placed it on my knee. “Do not worry,
mi querida.
Jose he will find his way. This is not for you to worry about,
sí
?”

“Yeah.” I looked out the window into a sea of blackness. There weren't any streetlights on this stretch of country road. “You're right. It's hard though. I've known Jose since I was a kid. Can you imagine building a life like that and then losing it?”

“I can.” Carlos stared straight ahead. “It is terrible to lose something—
or someone
—you love.”

“You haven't lost me.”

Carlos gave me a quick smile. “
Sí,
but your heart it is now in Ashland.”

Hearing him phrase it like that stung. It was true. It was what I had been thinking ever since Carlos had arrived in town. Part of my heart was in Ashland and part of it was about to return to the sea.

 

Chapter Twenty-eight

I invited Carlos upstairs to my apartment when we got back. “I know you have an early flight, but…” I hesitated.

“Julieta, I do not care about sleep. I will sleep on the plane.” Carlos took my hand. It might have been the aftereffects of sharing a bottle of wine, but my head spun a little as we walked up the steps together. I leaned into Carlos. His grasp was firm around my waist.

We barely made it to the top landing before Carlos's hands were sliding down my back and running through my hair. His lips were on my forehead, my cheeks, and then my lips. My body responded. I returned his kiss and massaged his muscular back.

His breath was shallow. I could feel his heart pounding against mine.

I fumbled through my purse for my keys. My fingers shook so much that I couldn't get it to turn in the lock. Carlos mumbled under his breath, “I will do it. Give it to me.”

He unlocked the door. We tumbled inside. The apartment was as black as the night sky. The scent of flowers hung heavy in the room. Carlos kissed me again.

I bumped into the coffee table.

Carlos caught me. “Are you okay?”

It was hard to form words. My mouth moved but nothing came out. Carlos pulled me onto the couch. His lips brushed against my neck. We were so caught up in the moment that at first I didn't hear the knock on the door.

The couch felt like it was spinning. I held my finger to his lips.

“Hang on a second, Carlos.” I pulled myself away. “Is that a knock?”

Another knock sounded on the door. This time it was louder.

“Someone's here,” I whispered.

Carlos shook his head. “They will go away.”

I heard a third knock and Mom's voice calling my name. “Juliet!”

In the darkness I couldn't make out Carlos's expression, but I was sure it matched mine. Mom wouldn't come to my apartment unless something was wrong. My heart rate slowed. I untangled my leg from Carlos's grasp.

“It's Mom.”

“
Sí.
” He clutched my back and gave me one more kiss. Then he moved to let me get up.

I inhaled through my nose and pressed my dress back into place. Carlos flipped on the lights. I squinted as I opened the door. “Mom?”

Mom and the Professor stood on the landing. I wasn't sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me or adjusting to the light but it looked as if there were police lights on the street below.

I smoothed my curls. “Is everything okay?”

The Professor wore his standard attire of a tweed coat and jeans, but Mom was wearing a pair of red-and-black flannel pajamas and wool slippers. Something was definitely wrong.

“Is Thomas inside?” The Professor peered around me.

“Thomas?”

“Yes. He told me he was stopping by your place, and I'm afraid I haven't heard from him for a while now.”

I motioned for them to come inside. “He did stop by my place, but that was hours ago.”

“Hmm.” The Professor paused.

“Is something wrong?”

Mom shut the door behind her. “Sorry to barge in on you like this. We tried to call but you didn't answer your phone.”

My cheeks burned with heat. I had a feeling that was because I didn't hear my phone ring while Carlos and I were caught up in the moment. “What happened?”

The Professor pushed his reading glasses up his nose. “I asked Thomas to check in with you. We were hoping to commandeer your apartment this evening. We have a team staked out at the Merry Windsor and your apartment has an ideal vantage point.”

We all turned toward my front window.

“Why?”

“Our suspect has been on the move and we wanted ‘eyes' on him, as we say in the business.”

“But Thomas didn't ask to use my apartment. He dropped off flowers.” I looked to Carlos to back me up. Carlos nodded in agreement.

“I'm afraid that's my fault.” The Professor took off his reading glasses, blew on them, and wiped them on the sleeve of his shirt. “I asked him to be discreet. I should have told him to be up-front with you.”

Mom touched his arm in a move of support. “You didn't know.”

The Professor ran his fingers through his beard. His brow furrowed, revealing deep crevasses in his forehead. “Perhaps.”

“So do you think that Thomas went out on surveillance himself? Maybe he's staked out in one of the businesses. Maybe he went downstairs to Elevation or something.”

“I assure you that we've done a complete and thorough sweep of downtown. Thomas is nowhere to be found. He's not answering calls on his phone or the radio.” The Professor paused and frowned. “That is not like Thomas.”

That was true. Thomas didn't go anywhere without his iPad and cell.

“The last response I had from him was a text that he was heading to your apartment. We haven't heard from him since. That was before six.”

“I called him from Jose's,” I said. “Jose is selling Uva to Mathew.”

Mom looked shocked. “What? Jose is selling the vineyard?”

“Yeah. Can you believe it?”

She shook her head. “No. That can't be true.”

“It is.” I nodded. “That's why I called Thomas,” I said to the Professor. “I thought you might want to follow up with Jose. It seemed like there was a potential connection to Mindy's murder. Mathew told me he was broke. How is he putting an offer on Uva?”

The Professor looked thoughtful and then cleared his throat. “When did you call Thomas?”

“Maybe a half hour ago.”

“I see. Excuse me please.” The Professor opened the door and went onto the landing. We could hear him on the phone.

Mom grabbed my arm. “Honey, I'm so sorry to put you in the middle of this. Doug called when he didn't hear from Thomas. He thought maybe Thomas was here, and then I couldn't get ahold of you. I panicked.”

“It's okay.”

Carlos kissed her cheek. “
Sí,
it is good that you were thinking of Julieta. Would you like some tea?”

Mom looked relieved. “Tea would be wonderful.”

The Professor came back inside. “I have a team en route to Uva.” His eyes traveled to my front window and across the street to the Merry Windsor. I followed his gaze. There were five or six police officers patrolling the front of the hotel. Two squad cars were parked on either side of the building. Both had their lights flashing.

Reggie stood on the porch, illuminated by the flashing red-and-blue lights.

“Are you looking at Reggie?” I asked.

The Professor returned his gaze to me. “The cook? No. Although I do believe that you and I have come to the same conclusion, Juliet. I've launched a full-scale manhunt for our killer and neither he nor Thomas are anywhere to be seen.”

“Is there anything you can do? Can you ping Thomas's phone or track his police car?”

Carlos came out of the kitchen with a tray of mugs, tea packets, sugar, and cream. He moved the flower arrangements on my coffee table and made room for everything. “The water is heating.”

Mom smiled at him and whispered thanks.

The Professor looked longingly at a packet of Earl Grey tea. “We are working every angle, Juliet. I assure you of that. I intend to get back out there right now. I will knock on every door in town if need be. We will find Thomas and bring Mindy's killer to justice.”

“I will help,” Carlos offered.

“Actually, that would be appreciated. I have every man and woman on my team canvassing the streets as we speak. Having an extra set of eyes would be quite helpful.” He tightened his scarf. “Shall we go?”

I looked to Mom. “What about us? We can help. We can spread out and search from both sides of downtown.”

“No. You will be the most help here,” the Professor said. He buttoned the middle buttons on his tweed jacket. “If Thomas shows up or gets in touch, please notify me immediately.”

Mom held my arm and shook her head as I tried to protest. “Let them go, Jules.”

They left together. The kettle whistled in the kitchen. I startled. Mom steadied me. She turned off the stove and returned with the steaming kettle. I poured myself a cup of lemon tea and sank onto the couch. How had this perfect evening ended up so wrong?

“Why did you stop me?” I asked.

Mom balanced her tea and sat next to me. “It's Doug's job.”

“Yeah, but he let Carlos tag along.”

“For physical support.” She raised one eyebrow. “Like he said, he has the entire team sweeping each neighborhood. Every officer in Ashland is looking for Thomas right now. Doug doesn't usually participate in activities like this, but this time it's personal. Thomas is like a son to him.”

“Do you think something happened to him?”

Mom reached for the sugar. She added a teaspoon to her tea and stirred it with a spoon. “I don't know, but what I do know is that Thomas is smart and resourceful. He's young and strong. If he is in any danger, I know that he can take care of himself.”

Her words were comforting.

“This evening is a disaster.” I massaged my temples and kicked off my shoes.

“I'm so sorry, honey. I shouldn't have worried. Like I said, when you didn't answer, I leapt to the worst-case scenario.” She took a sip of her tea. “I know this was your last night with Carlos.”

“It's okay.”

She added a splash of cream to her tea and handed it to me. I did the same. “Does the Professor think that Mathew is the killer?”

“He didn't say.”

“Why does he always have to be so tight-lipped about everything?”

“That's his job too.” She gave me a knowing look.

“Fair enough.” I took a drink of tea. It was hot and warmed the back of my throat. The slight buzz that I'd had from the wine and my romantic evening with Carlos had completely evaporated.

“Is something else bothering you?” Her eyes were kind and firm.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Only because I know you and because I know that Carlos is leaving.”

I sat up. “Am I making a huge mistake, Mom?”

She reached for my hand. “I can't answer that for you.” She sighed. “You know that.”

“I know. I'm so confused. I don't want to lose him. I don't want to be apart from him, and yet I don't want to go back to the ship. I love being home.”

“I love having you home.” She squeezed my hand. “Does it have to be one or the other? Have you discussed the idea of Carlos living here with you? He's blended in beautifully. Everyone in town loves him.”

“I know.”

“He doesn't want to stay, is that the problem?”

“I'm not sure. I think he would if I asked him.” My feet felt like ice cubes. I rubbed them on the carpet to try to warm them.

Mom dipped her tea bag in her mug. “Have you asked?”

“No.”

“Is there a reason you haven't asked him?”

“I don't know. I don't know if he fits in here. I want him to—I think.” I sighed. “I'm not sure. I'm confused. I think the right thing for the moment is for him to go back to the ship.”

She nodded. “Sometimes the right thing is the hardest thing.”

“Yeah.” My eyes welled again.

“Let it out,” she said, as she scooted closer and wrapped her arm around me. I sobbed on her shoulders the way I used to when I was a little girl. Carlos was leaving me, and as much as it hurt, I knew that it was the right thing—for now.

 

Chapter Twenty-nine

Mom's mantra was never underestimate the power of pastry. I decided after crying on her shoulder until my eyes were completely dry that my mantra would be to never underestimate the power of a good cry. Despite my scratchy eyes and runny nose, it felt cathartic to get all the intense emotions out of my body.

“Feel better?” Mom asked when I finally heaved my shoulders back and wiped the last tear from my eye.

“Much. Sorry.”

“Never.” Her voice turned serious. “You always have a shoulder to cry on.” She patted her shoulder. “Always.”

“Thanks.” I sat up. “The same goes for you.” I warmed my tea with hot water from the kettle and breathed in the steam. “I can't sit still. I have to do something—anything. I can't just sit here and worry.”