After good mornings were exchanged and Dani gave the girls the new keys, she started pouring out pancake batter. Fifteen minutes later, they were all enjoying breakfast.
As they ate, Dani asked, “Whose turn is it to help me with the lunch-to-go prep?”
“Mine.” Tippi stuffed a huge bite of pancake in her mouth. “But my study group is meeting this morning to review for a test.”
“Tippi.” Dani infused a note of warning into her tone. Tippi’s excuses for getting out of the hours she owed Dani were getting annoying. “You know that I count on you working when you’re scheduled.”
“I’m sorry.” Tippi attempted puppy-dog eyes, but Dani stared back without flinching.
“When are you finished with your classes today?” Dani asked.
“Noon.” Tippi crunched a slice of brown-sugar-glazed bacon between her perfect, white teeth.
“Then how about this?” Dani said. “I have a hundredth-birthday celebration at an assisted-living facility this afternoon. Tippi, you can put in the time you owe me helping serve. Then you can do the cleanup afterward, which will free me to search my boxes for Kipp’s book.”
“Fine.” Tippi wrinkled her nose and muttered, “Sounds like a blast.”
“Since I’m working on Saturday and have today off, I can stick around and give you a hand with your lunch-to-go preparations,” Spencer offered. When Dani started to shake her head, he admonished, “Don’t. I want to do this and you need the help.”
“Well”—Dani bit back her inclination to turn down any assistance—“thanks.”
When they had finished breakfast and the girls had gone upstairs to clean up the debris in their rooms before leaving for school, Spencer asked, “When do we need to start the lunch prep? Do we have time to tackle any of the downstairs mess?”
Dani glanced at the clock. “Unfortunately not. I like to have the sacks filled and ready by ten thirty, and it’s past seven thirty.”
“Okay.” Spencer found a dish towel in a drawer and tied it around his waist. “What do you want me to do?”
After a few seconds’ thought, Dani rattled off a list of instructions. Twenty minutes later, she was shocked at how well he took direction. She’d been afraid that an alpha guy like Spencer would have difficulty following her lead, but he listened carefully and did exactly what she told him to do.
At ten fifteen, with the lunch-to-go bags ready and in the fridge, Dani and Spencer relaxed over a cup of tea and a slice of date-nut bread. She’d just taken her first bite when the doorbell rang.
They both stiffened and Spencer asked softly, “Are you expecting anyone?”
“Only my lunch customers.” Dani pushed back her chair and stood.
“Wait.” Spencer touched her hand. “Let me go. If it’s Mikeloff or your ex, it’ll be easier for me to get rid of them than you.”
“I can take care of myself.” Dani had been on her own for a long time. Once her mother died, her father had expected her to function without much support from him. Still, it felt nice to have some backup. “But I’ll accept your offer. I really don’t want to deal with either the detective or Kipp.”
Dani followed Spencer down the hall but waited out of sight. She could hear his footsteps crossing the vestibule’s marble floor, then the rattle of the security chain as he eased the door open. She and the girls frequently forgot to put the chain in place, but with recent events, Dani vowed to be more conscientious about using it.
“Who are you?” a young woman’s voice echoed through the foyer.
“Better question,” Spencer countered. “Who are you and what do you want?”
“My name is Frannie Ryan and I’m here to see Dani.” A pause and the woman added, “Is she okay? I noticed all the wrecked stuff in the trash.”
“You went through Dani’s garbage?” Spencer’s tone was outraged.
“Back off, dude,” Frannie snapped. “I saw it by the side of the house. I didn’t put on waders and sift through for private information.”
“But clearly you’ve considered doing that.” Spencer’s voice roughened. “You’re that reporter, aren’t you? Why don’t you leave Dani alone?”
Realizing she needed to intervene, Dani rushed into the foyer and said, “Spencer, it’s fine. Frannie and I have an agreement. Please let her in.”
Grunting, Spencer closed the door to unhook the chain, then swung it open. He stared at Frannie as she passed him and approached Dani.
“You promised to keep me updated on Regina’s murder.” Frannie waved her finger in Dani’s face. “But you never called me.”
“It’s only been three days.” Dani heard the ding indicating someone was at the sliding window and dashed back into the kitchen.
Spencer and Frannie followed her, and she gestured for them to take a seat at the table. The customers were lining up and as Dani served them, she kept an eye on her guests and an ear on their conversation.
“A lot has happened in the past three days.” Frannie helped herself to a slice of the date-nut bread, grabbed the teapot, and looked around for a cup. “For instance, I managed to get a peek at the autopsy report.”
“We already know what it said.” Spencer got up, found a clean mug, and handed it to the young woman. “So we really don’t need your information.”
“Why don’t you like me?” Frannie poured the tea. “We’re on the same side.”
“Not quite.” Spencer leaned forward. “The majority of the time reporters think that the First Amendment is more important than catching and putting away the bad guys. More important than keeping people safe. Those of us in law enforcement feel the exact opposite is true.”
“I…” Frannie’s face reddened. “I want the bad guys behind bars too.” She swallowed. “But I also believe in the public’s right to know. Surely, there’s some compromise we can reach and work together.”
Spencer was silent.
Dani was about to intervene when Spencer turned to Frannie and said, “So you’re from Scumble River. Do you know Chief
