boredom or a recent head injury, as she languidly filed her long pink nails.
Seeing us, she reluctantly put down the nail file and said, “Good morning. Welcome to Mancuso’s Pools. I’m Lindsay. How can I help you?” Her voice held all the warmth and sincerity of a dishwasher.
“Uh, yes,” said Ann. “I wanted to talk to someone about expanding our current pool.”
“Please excuse me a moment while I get one of our specialists to assist you.” Lindsay picked up the phone and pressed a button. “Tim? Are you available to meet with a customer?”
Great, now we were going to have to chat with the wrong guy about our imaginary pool addition. I glanced over at Ann in annoyance. She ignored me. The receptionist nodded to the chairs behind us. “If you would care to have a seat, someone will be with you in just a moment. May I offer you a cup of coffee or tea?”
“Oh, no thank you,” said Ann as she sat down. Kit and I declined a drink as well. Lindsay shrugged. Her patently memorized speech for interacting with potential clients had come to an end. She resumed filing her nails.
I sat down next to Ann. “Now what?” I muttered under my breath, while I pretended to study one of the brochures. On the front was a woman, blond and impossibly stacked, sitting in the pool with a man. From the looks of his pumped biceps and bulging veins, he had recently completed some horribly intense upper-body workout. Her eyes closed, the woman leaned back into the man’s chest, her full lips curved in a contented smile. The man stared outward, his face dreamily satisfied. Below it read, “
Before Ann could answer my question, a man in a white company shirt and blue slacks came out of a back office. He had sun-bleached blond hair, a spray tan, and a lean, athletic build, qualities that probably are essential for pool salesmen. “Hello,” he said, extending his hand first to Ann and then to me and finally to Kit. “I’m Tim. I understand you ladies are interested in discussing adding on to your current pool?”
I stayed quiet and let Ann handle this. After all, it was her imaginary construction. Kit stood silent as well with an avid expression of interest on her face.
“Yes,” said Ann. “Are you the Mancuso of Mancuso’s Pools?”
Tim shook his head and smiled. His teeth were very white. “No, that’s Donny. He’s the owner, but I’m happy to help you. Why don’t we go into my office so you can tell me what you’re interested in?”
The door jingled again and a large man with jet-black hair and a short beard entered the store. Like Tim, he also wore a white polo and blue pants. However, next to this man, Tim’s lean build looked pubescent. The man’s arms were a rocky, muscular terrain of deeply tanned skin, and his wide chest stretched the Mancuso logo until it was almost unreadable. From the little noise Ann made when she saw him, I guessed that this was Donny. It was also none other than the man Reggie was with in the bar the other night. Tim’s next words confirmed my assumption. “Oh, hey, Donny. These ladies are here to discuss an addition to their pool.”
So Reggie and Donny had apparently renewed their friendship. I wondered exactly when this had happened and, more important, why. From their body language the other night, they had been discussing something serious. Could it have been the discovery of Michael’s body?
Ann stepped forward, a slightly puzzled look on her face. “Donny?” she said. “Donny Mancuso? I’m Ann Reynolds. Didn’t you work for my father once? Martin Reynolds?” I had to give Ann credit; she carried off her little speech very nicely. It sounded almost believable. Next to me, Kit’s eyes lit up as the penny dropped and she realized the true reason behind our visit. She shot me a knowing smirk before turning her attention back to Donny and Ann.
An expression passed over Donny’s face that I didn’t have time to interpret before he pasted a wide smile on his face. “Well, hello, Ann,” he said, wrapping his large hand around her small one. “How are you? It’s been a long time. How’s the family?”
“Well, I don’t know if you’d heard, but Dad died last week. He’d been pretty sick with cancer and it finally was too much for him.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” said Donny, his voice dropping to a suitable somber tone. “He was a nice man and a good businessman. Here, why don’t you come into my office? We can catch up in there.” Turning to Tim, he said, “I’ll handle this, Tim. Thanks.”
“Whatever you say, boss,” Tim replied amiably before disappearing back into his own office.
We followed Donny into a large office consisting of a mahogany desk, opposite which sat four office chairs upholstered in the same green-and-white fabric as the ones out front. Posters touting the many benefits of pools covered the wall. Apparently, this was what was missing from my life; here lay the answers to all my problems. From what I could gather, having a pool would not only transform my body into a sleek, sun-kissed form but would also ensure familial and spiritual contentment—and all for only $35,000!
As Ann, Kit, and I slid into the chairs, Ann introduced us. Donny nodded courteously. “Pleased to meet you,” he said. Taking a seat behind the desk, Donny pushed aside a newspaper. “So what’s happening to the company now?” he asked.
“My brother-in-law, Scott, has taken over,” said Ann. “I don’t know if you remember him. He’s married to my sister Frances.”
Donny nodded. “I remember him. He’s a good guy. Now, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you here for pool work? Don’t you guys do pools anymore?”
Ann flushed slightly. “Somewhat. I wanted to get some fresh ideas. I know what our firm offers. I wanted to check out the competition.”
From the way Donny cocked his head slightly, I wasn’t sure that he was buying it. I think Ann sensed that, too, because she abruptly steered the conversation to the real reason we were there. “Speaking of pools, though, did you hear about what happened with the pool at the St. Michaels house?”
Donny shook his head but didn’t speak. Ann continued, “Well, do you remember Michael Barrow?”
Donny’s jaw tightened at the name of the man who replaced him in Reggie’s affections. “I do.”
“Then you know what happened?” I held my breath wondering how Donny would answer.
A faint expression of confusion crossed over his tanned face. “What do you mean what happened? About the money? I had heard that he ran off after embezzling money from your father.”
Ann shook her head. “Yes, well, that’s what we all thought until last week. We recently sold the St. Michaels house and the new owners decided to dig up the pool. The workers found a body under the foundation. It was Michael’s.”
I watched Donny closely for his reaction to this news. I don’t know what I was expecting, but whatever it was, it wasn’t coming. “Oh, that’s terrible. I had no idea,” Donny said in a flat voice, his face expressionless. “Do the police have any ideas what happened?”
Ann shook her head. “No, they don’t. It’s pretty awful, though.”
“Well, I’m sure they’ll figure it out. In the meantime, let’s talk about pleasanter things,” said Donny, changing the subject. “Tell me, what are you thinking about your pool?”
For the next fifteen minutes, Ann rambled on about hot tubs, lighting, and widening the deck. Donny took notes and asked appropriate questions. I sat quietly and tried to look like I found both my surroundings and the conversation fascinating. I also ignored Kit, who I could tell was quivering with anticipation of shouting, “I told you so!” at me the first chance she got. Then, finally, thankfully, the interview came to an end. As we stood to say our good-byes and shake hands, I saw something of note.
On Donny’s desk was today’s
So much for not knowing anything.
Chapter 14
Every man is surrounded by a neighborhood of voluntary spies.
Once outside and safely back in the car, Kit did just as I expected. “Elizabeth Jane Parker!” she exclaimed
