Kate sat back and met April Bixby’s gaze. “As you may have surmised, that was Kat.” Kate had learned fairly recently the two women had known each other for a couple of years. They’d each separately confessed to her they weren’t at all surprised to be sharing a case.
April’s eyes widened. “She’s been shadowing Douglas Vance. Is there a problem?”
“She has indeed. And there have been a couple of problems with him. But most urgently, would you care to guess where they’re headed, right now?”
April’s face showed alarm. “Good grief! I think I should get to the roadhouse. My shift starts in twenty minutes, which is a handy thing, under the circumstances.”
“Yes, dear girl, I think it’s a very handy thing.”
The young woman got to her feet and took two steps toward the door. Then she stopped and turned around.
“Grandma Kate…did you put in a word with Angela? So that she’d hire me?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Kat gave me a glowing recommendation on you, after all. You’re a part of the team, though I didn’t tell my dear friend in what capacity.” Kate saw the way the young woman processed that. Intelligence fairly shone from her eyes.
Kate didn’t know all there was to know about April Bixby—yet. But she would. By the time this little dustup had settled down, she’d have the young woman’s measure.
Her intuition told her April Bixby hadn’t had an easy life—though she’d bet it had been a damned interesting one.
April grinned. “I thought I was so clever, getting myself hired onto the staff.”
“You were, and I’m certain when all is said and done, there will be more than a couple of people very impressed by your gumption and your dedication. It matters to me, April, how determined you are to honor Amanda Featherstone’s final request. Other investigators might have stepped back, once their client had died.”
“I gave Mrs. Featherstone my word.” April’s expression softened. Then she turned and headed out.
It’s a sad world when simple, sincere words of praise disconcert an otherwise confident woman. Kate sighed. She waited another minute, just long enough to know April had left the house and was, indeed, on her way. It’s a good thing she didn’t ask me who those certain to be impressed people were.
All in all, it had been a very busy day for Kate. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to play three-dimensional chess. It had, indeed. How nice, Kate thought, to know that she still could. She may have slowed down some, physically, in the last decade. But just then she gave thanks that her mind was as sharp as ever.
Kate Benedict thoroughly believed that things generally worked out the way they were meant to be. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t give fate a solid nudge in the right direction when necessary.
Now for my end game. Kate picked up her cellphone and placed a call. It was answered on the first ring.
“Hello, Kate.”
“Hello, Angela. How are things looking there?”
“Those folks you introduced me to are here. I pointed out the few actual customers, and they’ve got them covered. And Ricoh and I are about to enter the dining room and have a late lunch, as well.”
“Good. I’ll be there very soon.”
“And good luck to us all.”
“Indeed.” Satisfied, Kate placed the next call.
“Grandma Kate.”
“Dear boy, it’s time to get into position. It’s all coming together now.”
“Yes, ma’am, so I’ve been told.” She heard Adam’s smile in his tone. “We’re all ready, at this end.”
“Thank you for this, Adam.”
“I could never say no to you.”
Kate ended that call. Oh, yes you could, dear boy. But it pleased her that for this, he hadn’t. Then she placed her final call.
“Good afternoon, Grandma Kate. How are you today?”
“I’m just fine, Jake. I’m in the mood to treat you to a late lunch at the roadhouse.” Kate smiled when Jake didn’t miss a beat.
“Thank you, that’s kind of you. I’d be delighted to join you for lunch. What time would you like me to pick you up?”
“Oh, I think it had better be now, dear.”
“Oh?” Caution entered Jake’s tone, and Kate smiled. “Angela’s place instead of Kelsey’s, you say?”
“Yes. You see, things are about to get very interesting at the roadhouse, and I think it would be a good idea for us to be on hand. Just in case we’re needed.”
She heard his sigh over the phone and could almost picture him closing his eyes in resignation. “How much time do we have before…things get interesting?”
“I think we have enough.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Kate got up from her desk, took up her purse, and seized a moment to visit the powder room attached to her home office. Usually, she kept her handbag in her bedroom unless she was going out. She’d brought it downstairs with her first thing this morning.
Kate headed toward the front door. She poked her head into the den on her way past.
Bernice glanced up from the book she was reading. “On your way, Mother?”
“I am.” Kate grinned.
“Good luck.” Bernice grinned right back. “Let me know how it all turns out.”
“I will, sweetheart.”
Kate stepped out onto the porch, not surprised one bit that Jake was already there, standing at the open passenger door, waiting to assist her into the car.
He didn’t put the car in gear until she was buckled up.
“How interesting are things about to get, Grandma Kate? Should I call Adam?”
“Now, Jake, you know you’ve already done that. I’ve had a very busy morning. I placed a few calls of my own because if there’s one thing I can’t abide, it’s waiting for people to get a clue and get a move on.”
“Oh, God.”
Kate patted his hand. “You need to learn how to let things go, dear. There’s no sense in stressing about matters you can’t change. Just…learn to go with the flow.”
Jake chuckled. “That’s rich,
