Salvaged to Death by Vanessa Gray Bartal Page A

out of the kitchen and through the back door, with the exception of Vaslilssa who had commandeered the grits and was eating straight from the bowl.
    “It’s not often you get to have a murderer over for breakfast,” Hal said.
    “You think he’s the killer and you let him eat with us?” Luke said.
    “I don’t know what to think,” Sadie said. She patted the place Bo had vacated. “Fiona, sit. Let’s talk.”
    Fiona sank wearily to the chair and rested her bust on the table. “For all his faults, and he’s got a lot, I just can’t see Tom as a murderer. The thought of him rotting in that jail, well, it hurts me.” She broke off and twisted her fingers together, her expression miserable.
    “Are you saying you want me to look into it?” Sadie said. To her left, Luke let out a puff of what was either exasperation or frustration, or maybe a bit of both.
    Fiona nodded.
    Vaslilssa finished the bowl of grits and let the spoon drop with a clatter. “Lucas has promised to take me to house of cheese. We go now, yes?”
    “I guess,” Luke said. “I’m obviously not going to have any effect here.”
    “The cheese shop downtown is very nice,” Fiona added helpfully.
    “We’ll come, too,” Sadie said. “I need to talk to people, to get a feel for what’s happening in the town.” She stood and began clearing plates. Hal, Luke, and even Vaslilssa stood to do the same, though Sadie thought Vaslilssa’s interest lay in snatching rogue sausages off plates. They helped Fiona do the dishes and tidy the kitchen, and then they headed for the door. Vaslilssa clapped her hands together like a trained seal.
    “I am so excitement for the house of cheese,” she said.
    “Fifty bucks says she thinks the house is actually made of cheese,” Sadie whispered to Hal. Luke overheard and shot her a withering glare.
    “I can’t wait to see you in action, Hal,” Luke said. “Meaning I can’t wait to see Sadie not in action. This should be good.” He rubbed his hands together in gleeful anticipation.
    “Don’t do that near your girlfriend’s mouth. The combined friction and sausage fumes could cause an explosion,” Sadie said.
    “You two are especially contentious today,” Hal remarked.
    “The anemone theory,” Luke said.
    “Ah.” Hal nodded, leading Sadie to believe they’d had the conversation before, possibly many times. She didn’t ask. Sometimes it was better not to know what might be lurking deep in their nerd brains.
    They piled together in Luke’s car with Luke and Vaslilssa in the front. “How’s that back seat, Sadie?” Luke asked.
    “Free of grease prints,” she replied. Before he could form a retort, he caught sight of the passenger side and the orange remnants Vaslilssa had left on the window after her last bag of Cheetos.
    “Car needs washed anyway,” he said.
    “You might want to get the EPA’s permission first so you don’t get fined for creating a toxic oil slick,” Sadie said.
    “There it is!” Vaslilssa screamed and pressed her nose to the window. “It is the cheese house, and they are having samples!”
    “And in about an hour, they are going out of business,” Sadie added.
    Vaslilssa tugged Luke’s arm, jerking the wheel as he tried to park. “We must hurry before they go out of business.”
    “They’re not going out of business,” Luke said. “Sadie was joking.”
    Vaslilssa turned a furious glare on Sadie. “Why did you make joking about the cheese shop?”
    “Lactose intolerance has made me bitter,” Sadie said.
    “You are not funny, Sadie. And you are short,” Vaslilssa returned.
    “That’s because I can’t ever get enough food to grow. Too much competition,” Sadie said, but Vaslilssa’s attention had once again been captured by the cheese store, which was shaped like a Swiss chalet.
    “It is beautiful,” Vaslilssa exclaimed. “The cheese house is my new favorite place.” She hurdled from the car, grabbed Luke’s hand, and began dragging him behind her.