Necklaces & Nooses Read online

  “Oooohhh, that’s interesting. Why would he be meeting a woman in a cigar bar when his wife is barely cold?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine, but it certainly is tasteless.”

  “Does it seem like a business meeting?”

  “I’m not sure. I mean, nothing inappropriate has happened, but it is after normal business hours, and they are at a bar. It could be socializing with a purpose. Holy crap, Anna! That guy just walked in.” He walked by James, and there was no flicker of recognition.

  “What guy?” Anna asked, looking around.

  “The guy who came into Silk the day after Solange was murdered and was pissed off I wouldn’t show him the necklaces. You know, the one we all saw at the bar, and then the one I pointed out at the funeral. His name is Peter Green. Don’t you pay attention to anything I tell you? This is quite the coincidence. Why would he be at the same bar James is at?”

  “Yeah, I remember. What do you think he’s doing here? And why does he keep popping up everywhere you’re at?”

  “Only when I’m at a place James is at. I have no idea. That’s my question. It doesn’t appear as if he and James know each other— that or they are great actors.”

  “Well, they didn’t talk or make eye contact, but you see how that guy has positioned himself to the table James and the woman are at?” Anna said.

  “Yeah, what about it, Nancy Drew?”

  “You make fun, but I notice these things, Presley. I did get my degree in communications, and I had a whole class in body language. Your faux-German dude is close enough to observe and listen, but far enough away to not be so noticeable.”

  “What makes you think that he is close enough to listen?”

  “Because he is only two tables away, and I’ve been in there a couple times, the acoustics are pretty good. Definitely good enough to hear from two tables away. I think your friend knows James.”

  “What could they possibly have in common? How could they know each other?”

  “Ask him next time you talk to him if he is seeing anyone. Maybe you’ll catch him off guard enough, then you can slip in the question about Peter, and he will tell you.”

  “You have the craziest ideas sometimes. It’s none of my business what he does in his private life.”

  “You won’t know unless you ask.”

  “I’ve seen enough here. Who knows how long they are going to stay and chat? Let’s head over to Muldoon’s and have our drink and a fun night.”

  Chapter 13

  With everything that had been going on, I needed to blow off some steam at Muldoon’s. It was enjoyable to have a couple drinks with friends and talk, and I was sure Anna had a lot to talk about.

  “OMG…is that Rick?” Anna said, tapping me on the shoulder and pointing over to the other side of the bar.

  “Where?” I looked in the direction she was pointing. Sure enough, Rick, my idiot ex boyfriend, was hanging out at the other end of the bar with some blonde. Figures. Wasn’t the person he’d cheated on me with, though. He sure moved fast, already onto the next.

  “You should go say hi,” Anna said.

  “Are you nuts?”

  “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t mean you should act interested again. I just think you should go over and act like you don’t care, which you don’t. If he sees you and you haven’t come over, he’ll think you’re avoiding him. And with his conceited little pea brain he’ll think you are uncomfortable to see him and still want him back or something.

  “You might be right. C’mon, you’re going with me.”

  We walked over to where they were sitting, drinks in hand. “Hey, Rick! Fancy seeing you here.”

  He looked up from his date and seemed shocked to see me. I guessed he hadn’t seen me yet, or if he had, didn’t think that I would come over and say hi. Rick and I had dated for a year or so when I caught him cheating. I had immediately broken up with him, and he begged me to come back for a long time, but I wasn’t about to give him a second chance. Seeing him now made me wonder what I had ever seen in him. Funny how you can like someone so much you are blind to their faults. Compared to Cooper or Willie, he was a poor excuse of a man.

  “Hi, Presley, Anna.”

  “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your girlfriend?” Anna asked.

  Rick looked very uncomfortable. I was so glad Anna had made me come over here. It felt great making him uncomfortable. “Um, I guess. Ah, um, Shelly, this is Presley and Anna.”

  I reached over to shake her hand, and she looked startled. She had one of those limp girlie handshakes I can’t stand. Spineless. “Nice to meet you. I dated Rick for a while, he can be a good guy, I would be careful.” As Rick’s jaw dropped and Shelly’s, too, I waved my fingers at them and led Anna away.

  “Oh wow, that was awesome,” Anna said, collapsing in a heap of laughter at our table. “Did you see the look on his face when we walked over? He was dying even before you made that comment. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

  “Me, either. It just sort of came out.”

  “What’s on special today?” I asked the waitress, who came over to take our order, though I’m sure I was hard to understand as I was still laughing.

  “Two dollar wine by the glass and fifty cent Blue Moon drafts.”

  I turned to Anna. “What sounds good to you?”

  “It’s definitely a wine night. Glass of merlot, please.”

  “You know, that sounds good. Same here, please.”

  We started chatting about Anna’s job and some mutual friends, and of course, the issue with Jeff. Just catching up.

  “I wonder where Jared is,” I asked.

  “Oh crap. I forgot to tell you. He called me to cancel. He said he had a date.”

  “Figures he’d ditch us,” I said, joking.

  “You know him, always on the prowl.”

  “Yep, but at least he’s out looking for Mr. Right, even if he only keeps getting Mr. Right Now.”

  “Speaking of Mr. Right, how is the hot detective?”

  “He’s good. We have become really good friends.”

  “That’s positive. Do you think he might be boyfriend material?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, yes in general. He’s a great guy and would make a great boyfriend for someone. I’m just not sure I’m ready. Every time I think I might be, I talk to Cooper or think about him and realize I’m not over him. But I have to be. I’m just confused.”

  “Join the club.”

  Chapter 14

  After all the craziness that had been going on the last couple days, I needed to de-stress. The thing that calmed me down the most was a little retail therapy. Not good for my cash flow, but great for my attitude, at least until the bills came in. I had tried to refrain from needless shopping; I needed to pay off my credit cards, as they were all almost maxed out. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and if I had ever deserved a shopping spree this was the time.

  I had Silk covered for a few hours and didn’t have to go back until it was time to lock up. I was ready to indulge myself in my favorite stores. I got my favorite venti latte from Starbucks, a sugar free cinnamon dolce, iced because it was a typical muggy August day in Chicago. I was all about bargain shopping, and there were a few resale shops and thrift stores I hadn’t gone to in a while. There was a time where I liked more expensive pieces and brand new clothes, when I wouldn’t be caught dead in a used article of clothing. But when I started working at Silk, Solange taught me how to mix newer high-end pieces with thrift vintage pieces. Usually what she used was a name brand, but if it was vintage, she didn’t much care. She said even cheap clothes or knockoffs back then were much better quality than now. She said it was quality that was important, not the label. These days, they often went hand in hand, because the mass-produced clothes were often cheaply made and disposable.

  It amazed me at how much I’d learned from Solange. I remembered the first time she took me to Goodwill. I couldn’t believe the owner of a b
outique where the cheapest new thing was a pair of hosiery starting, yes starting, at four hundred dollars, was shopping at Goodwill. She’d challenged me to find a name brand outfit, including accessories, for fewer than five dollars. I thought she was crazy until I did it. I couldn’t believe I bought this beautiful mint green with white polka dots Tommy Hilfiger shirtdress, Banana Republic white silk pants (because on me the dress was too short), gold heels, and a narrow white patent leather belt. It was gorgeous, and I always received compliments on it and loved telling people it only cost three dollars and fifty cents, though I don’t think many of them believed me.

  I looked at my watch and noticed it was much later than I thought. I needed to start heading back to Silk to close for the night. I didn’t want any of us closing alone for a while. I stopped on the sidewalk for a minute and looked around, wondering if I had time to hit up one more store, when a guy in the outside seating area of Charlie’s, a high-end deli, seemed very familiar to me. That wasn’t…what the hell, it was. Willie. With a girl!

  It wasn’t like I had any right to be mad. We weren’t exclusive; we’d only had a couple of dates. But he told me he hadn’t dated anyone since breaking up with his ex a few months ago. Why would he lie about it? That was what pissed me off. There was absolutely no reason to lie when we had just met. I debated whether or not to go over there and say hi, but I realized that making a scene was all that would do. I wanted to know why he lied, but asking him right then wouldn’t get me that answer. I wasn’t in the mood to do any more shopping, so I headed back to Silk.

  Twenty minutes later, I arrived still angry and a little out of breath from power walking. I really needed to exercise more.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Steph asked as I walked in and dumped my purse behind the counter.

  “Men! They’re a pain. I am tired of thinking I found a good one and realizing that I was wrong.”

  “Why? What happened?”

  “Nothing I want to talk about right now.” I hadn’t told anyone but Anna and Jared about Willie.

  “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.”

  ‘Thanks, Steph.” I was going to have to call Anna and vent, but it was going to have to wait. I needed to get a few things done at the store and close up. Hopefully, it would take my mind off things. I was confused more than hurt, but I admit I was hurt, too. This was why relationships were such a pain. Oh well. I had survived worse, and maybe he had a good explanation. I was going to ask in a calm adult manner and see what he said. Hopefully, he wouldn’t lie.

  My phone buzzed.

  “It’s about time you called!”

  I sighed. This was pretty much how every conversation I had with my mother started out. At least she was consistent. I hadn’t wanted to call her, but she had left me a few messages, and the longer I put it off, the worse it would be.

  “Sorry, Mom, in case Dad didn’t pass the message on, my boss was murdered, and I’ve been a little busy.” My tone was more biting than it probably should have been—she was my mother—but because she was my mother, sometimes she said things that instantly gave me an attitude.

  “All the more reason you should have called. There are lunatics in that city, and I worry about you. You didn’t even call to tell me how you were.”

  “But I did, Mom. I talked to Dad. You were at a Garden Club meeting.”

  “But you didn’t talk to me.”

  “I know, Mom.” I wasn’t even going to argue, it wasn’t worth it. She always knew how to make me feel guilty, must be in the mother handbook. One thing I looked forward to if I had kids was getting my hands on a copy of that damn handbook so I could better understand my mother. “I’m fine, and there are lunatics everywhere, but enough about me. Why didn’t you tell me about Jesse?” Talking about my brother’s news was sure to get her to change the subject.

  “He swore me to secrecy.”

  “Since when did that ever stop you, Mother?”

  “Now you wait just one minute, young lady…” she sputtered. I knew now I was pushing her buttons. Ahhh, the never-ending mother/daughter conflict.

  “Calm down, I’m just teasing, Mom. He told me he swore you to secrecy. What do you think? I was shocked, but he’s never acted like this before. Rather the opposite. Do you think this is really it for him? That he’s found the one?”

  “You know your brother. He tends to flit from one thing to another, but he has always been realistic about it. He never says it’s the real thing. Just that he’s trying it out. He’s always been that way about girls, too. The fact that he says this is the one is making me think he might be right. I’ll say I’m just as shocked as you. I had given up hope either one of you would settle down and give me grandkids.”

  Twelve minutes. Twelve minutes into the conversation before she mentioned grandkids. Actually, that was pretty good. Her average was usually five.

  We chatted for a few more minutes and then she had to go to her Junior League Meeting.

  When I got off the phone with my mom, I immediately called Anna to tell her about Willie and seeing him with that girl. “I’m confused.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “I kind of like Willie.”

  “And that’s bad why?”

  “It’s not bad, but I did just see him with a girl.”

  “Hold up. What?”

  “I was giving myself some retail therapy and saw him out to dinner with a girl.”

  “So who’s jumping to conclusions now?”

  “Oh, I’m not that concerned about him being with a girl, even though he did say he wasn’t dating anyone. I’m more worried about the fact that I still have feelings for Cooper. But I do like Willie. Seeing him with someone else just reminded me he won’t be on the market forever. And neither will Cooper.”

  “I know, but there are plenty of guys out there. You don’t have to think of it as an either or thing, or that if you don’t pick one you will die old and alone.”

  “I realize that, but they are such great guys. I’ve been out in the dating world, and there are a lot of not so good guys. I mean, look at Rick. I spent a year with him and thought at first he was one of the good ones, and he turned out to be a total jerk.”

  “Yeah, you do have to go through a lot of frogs before you can find your Prince Charming, but don’t put so much pressure on yourself to choose between Cooper and Willie. Just have fun with Willie for now. Cooper is a non-issue. He doesn’t even live in Chicago, not even in the Midwest for that matter. He’s in New York. Right now, logistically it wouldn’t be a possibility.”

  “I know you’re right.”

  “Of course I am.”

  “So should I ask Willie who that girl was or just let it go?”

  “I think you could ask as long as you do it in a way that’s not accusatory. Like you said, he isn’t doing anything wrong. You’ve just started talking.”

  “Yeah, that makes sense. I’m more curious than anything.”

  “Then ask and kill that curiosity and move on. Enjoy getting to know him and having fun. Jared and I like him, so if nothing else, we can just all hang out.”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t ruin the friendship with trying to see if either of us wants anything more?”

  “For goodness sake, Presley, stop over-thinking it. Just take it day by day and see how things unfold. You don’t need to have the next ten years planned out in your personal or professional life. I’m all for planning and having goals, but you put so much pressure on yourself to have the next five years mapped out. Sometimes you need to go with the flow to figure out what it is you really want to go after.”

  “Thanks for the lecture, Mom.”

  “I’m not telling you anything you haven’t already said about yourself, or told me.”

  “I know you’re right. It’s just hard when I have no idea where I see myself five years from now. Because five years ago I thought I knew, and this is not where I thought I would be. It’s really done a number on my confidence, and I am just now re
alizing that.

  Chapter 15

  Steph, I’m going to run back and heat up my lunch. I promise I will be fast, but if I don’t eat, I may faint.” I was teasing about the fainting part, but it had been a crazy busy day. More shoppers that day than the voyeurs like the day before. It was nice to actually make some sales. We were trying to get caught up on the shipments and help customers. It was almost three o’clock, and I hadn’t eaten anything since seven that morning, and a blueberry scone only goes so far. It was nice to have a normal day, and not having time to eat definitely made it a normal day.

  “Sure, go ahead. I’ll call if I need you.”