forgotten, that’s
our
house, you jackass!”
“That’s my point,” he said in a relatively calm voice. “Apparently, the wife and mother of the tree poachers, arsonists, and perps of some other felonies has been on the lam, so she doesn’t know you’re Mrs. Dodge. Her complaint is only against Emma Lord.”
“Crap,” I said, holding my head with the hand that wasn’t holding the phone. “What do I … what do
we
do now?”
“Not a damned thing,” Milo replied. “But I wanted to warn you in case she shows up when I’m not around. You gave the deposition about the two younger Nelson kids trying to burn down the house in December. Meanwhile, I’m sending Gould to enlighten Mrs. Nelson. This is right up his alley. Dwight’s complete lack of tact is a plus in this situation. He enjoys badgering people. I think the daughter-in-law and her kid are probably living in the house, too. Mrs. Nelson reported that her grandchild couldn’t nap because of the noise.”
“I wonder if Laverne and the other two have been holed up with her cousin in Index,” I said. “Any word on when the two younger kids who started the carport fire will get out?”
“Next March,” my husband replied. “Doyle and the oldest son each got a year in Walla Walla, but they still have a hearing on reimbursing the county for cutting down those maples in the first place. You watch out for yourself when you go home, Emma. I mean it.”
“I will,” I promised. “Are you going to be late?”
I heard him sigh. “You know I can’t be sure. Let’s hope not.”
Leo was standing in the doorway. “Okay,” I said. “See you later.”
My ad manager chuckled. “I assume that was your better half. I’m not used to thinking of you as a wife.”
I laughed. “I’m not, either, never having been one until lately. On the other hand, I feel as if Milo and I have been together forever.”
“You have,” Leo said seriously. “That’s why you’ll make it. No surprises. Would he mind if you ate lunch with your aging ad manager?”
“He’s never minded,” I said, looking around Leo to see if Vida was at her desk. She was nowhere in sight, and her coat was gone. “You choose. Not that we have a lot of options.”
“How about driving down to Skykomish, to the Cascadia? I’d like a change of menus.”
“Sounds good. I haven’t been there in ages.”
“Shall we?” Leo asked, making as if he were offering his arm.
It was a quarter to twelve. “Why not? It
is
Wednesday.”
We took Leo’s Toyota, which was even older than my Honda. The sun now shone almost overhead as we crossed the rusting green truss bridge over the Skykomish River before reaching Highway 2.
“It definitely feels like spring,” Leo remarked as we passed the road to Alpine Falls. “I can’t complain about rain this year.”
“I can,” I said. “I’m a native. Not getting rain is bothersome.”
Leo grinned. “Tell me that when we haven’t had any in June.”
“I know,” I admitted. “June can be wetter than May some years. But they’re talking drought east of the mountains.”
“Maybe it’s all a plot to keep me in Alpine instead of going back to sunny Southern California,” he said as we passed the Skykomish Ranger Station. “I’ve never quite adjusted to those endless weeks of gray skies.”
“Stop reminding me that you’re going to retire in the not-so-distant future,” I retorted. “Take a few days for your birthday in May and go see your grandson. What’s his name? I forget.”
“Austin.” Leo made a face. “Liza and I weren’t pleased. All I can think of is Texas, and she bitches because she never heard of a Saint Austin. What kind of nickname do you give the kid? Aussie? Tinny?”
“Don’t ask me. I’ll never be a grandmother.”
“Yes, you will,” Leo said. “A step-grandmother, anyway. One of Milo’s kids is bound to produce some offspring.”
I nodded faintly. “His son, Bran, and his girlfriend are talking
our
house, you jackass!”
“That’s my point,” he said in a relatively calm voice. “Apparently, the wife and mother of the tree poachers, arsonists, and perps of some other felonies has been on the lam, so she doesn’t know you’re Mrs. Dodge. Her complaint is only against Emma Lord.”
“Crap,” I said, holding my head with the hand that wasn’t holding the phone. “What do I … what do
we
do now?”
“Not a damned thing,” Milo replied. “But I wanted to warn you in case she shows up when I’m not around. You gave the deposition about the two younger Nelson kids trying to burn down the house in December. Meanwhile, I’m sending Gould to enlighten Mrs. Nelson. This is right up his alley. Dwight’s complete lack of tact is a plus in this situation. He enjoys badgering people. I think the daughter-in-law and her kid are probably living in the house, too. Mrs. Nelson reported that her grandchild couldn’t nap because of the noise.”
“I wonder if Laverne and the other two have been holed up with her cousin in Index,” I said. “Any word on when the two younger kids who started the carport fire will get out?”
“Next March,” my husband replied. “Doyle and the oldest son each got a year in Walla Walla, but they still have a hearing on reimbursing the county for cutting down those maples in the first place. You watch out for yourself when you go home, Emma. I mean it.”
“I will,” I promised. “Are you going to be late?”
I heard him sigh. “You know I can’t be sure. Let’s hope not.”
Leo was standing in the doorway. “Okay,” I said. “See you later.”
My ad manager chuckled. “I assume that was your better half. I’m not used to thinking of you as a wife.”
I laughed. “I’m not, either, never having been one until lately. On the other hand, I feel as if Milo and I have been together forever.”
“You have,” Leo said seriously. “That’s why you’ll make it. No surprises. Would he mind if you ate lunch with your aging ad manager?”
“He’s never minded,” I said, looking around Leo to see if Vida was at her desk. She was nowhere in sight, and her coat was gone. “You choose. Not that we have a lot of options.”
“How about driving down to Skykomish, to the Cascadia? I’d like a change of menus.”
“Sounds good. I haven’t been there in ages.”
“Shall we?” Leo asked, making as if he were offering his arm.
It was a quarter to twelve. “Why not? It
is
Wednesday.”
We took Leo’s Toyota, which was even older than my Honda. The sun now shone almost overhead as we crossed the rusting green truss bridge over the Skykomish River before reaching Highway 2.
“It definitely feels like spring,” Leo remarked as we passed the road to Alpine Falls. “I can’t complain about rain this year.”
“I can,” I said. “I’m a native. Not getting rain is bothersome.”
Leo grinned. “Tell me that when we haven’t had any in June.”
“I know,” I admitted. “June can be wetter than May some years. But they’re talking drought east of the mountains.”
“Maybe it’s all a plot to keep me in Alpine instead of going back to sunny Southern California,” he said as we passed the Skykomish Ranger Station. “I’ve never quite adjusted to those endless weeks of gray skies.”
“Stop reminding me that you’re going to retire in the not-so-distant future,” I retorted. “Take a few days for your birthday in May and go see your grandson. What’s his name? I forget.”
“Austin.” Leo made a face. “Liza and I weren’t pleased. All I can think of is Texas, and she bitches because she never heard of a Saint Austin. What kind of nickname do you give the kid? Aussie? Tinny?”
“Don’t ask me. I’ll never be a grandmother.”
“Yes, you will,” Leo said. “A step-grandmother, anyway. One of Milo’s kids is bound to produce some offspring.”
I nodded faintly. “His son, Bran, and his girlfriend are talking
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