be someone else, too. Maybe someone we wouldn’t suspect.” I didn’t want to start naming names. Because what about Franklin, and a long shot, Eunice? She certainly wasn’t happy about that earring I saw in the office. People did unthinkable things because of jealousy. With no cause of death, it was hard to pin down one suspect. Yet.
“True, true.” Jerry drizzled oil and vinegar on his salad. “Would you like some oil and vinegar for your salad, Barkha?” Barkha. We’d made some progress. Not bad at all.
“Yes, thank you. My favorite type of salad dressing.”
“Mine too.” He handed her the glass containers, and their fingertips brushed.
Okay, now we had more progress in the last fifteen minutes than the last fifteen months.
“I think the Cardinals game starts in half an hour,” Ben said.
“Great.” Jerry’s expression brightened. “We can sit back and relax. It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to do that.”
I wanted to kick my hubby under the table, but restrained myself. I was hoping we could all chat about the investigation and the more time Jerry and Barkha spent in the same room together, the better. Maybe Jerry didn’t want to talk about the case, but still . . .
The guys chomped through their meals like oversize caterpillars while Barkha and I focused on Hannah, perched in her high chair at the corner of the table. Several times Barkha looked Jerry’s way, and I noted the same expression I’d seen on her face the other day at Oat Grass. Worried. Very worried.
What was it she’d said to Dr. Bradley that day? Something that happened “a long time ago.” And I couldn’t forget Dr. Bradley’s fuming stomp across the restaurant. His words still stung me, which is probably why I wanted forget the whole encounter.
“Have you heard anything about a memorial service for Dr. Bradley?” I asked Barkha. “I realize it’s soon, but I didn’t know if Eunice mentioned anything.”
“I’m not sure,” Barkha said. “I doubt that the medical examiner has released the body yet. Eunice hasn’t mentioned anything. Neither has Franklin.”
My change of subject certainly hadn’t improved our moods at all. Hannah squealed and waved her cracker-covered fingers at us.
“Look at those teeth.” Barkha’s expression transformed into a smile. Hannah couldn’t help but inspire a smile from someone in a troubled mood.
“Yes, her gums are just erupting. Maybe I’ll get a better night’s sleep tonight now that the latest tooth has pushed through.” At my words, Hannah giggled.
When the guys cleared out from the kitchen, Barkha glanced toward the living room, then snapped her focus to me. “I need to talk to Jerry.”
I nodded and reached for a clean napkin to wipe Hannah’s grubby fingers. “I’ve been hoping we can continue our conversation from Monday.”
Barkha stood, and started stacking dirty plates and bringing them to the dishwasher. “My lunch with Dr. Bradley. About Tushar. And . . . about what happened before.”
“Hey, don’t worry about the plates.”
“I don’t mind helping. Gives my hands something to do.”
A roar from the living room made us look in that direction. “Someone made a hit.”
Barkha smiled, but her hands shook. “Andi, I’m scared.” She sank into one of the wooden chairs.
“Please, tell me what happened.”
“I’m afraid I’m going to end up at the top of Jerry’s suspect list. If not the very top, close to it.”
“Why?”
“Something happened a long time ago. Something that Dr. Bradley found out about me, and, well . . . when we had our discussion the other day, he was talking about releasing me from my contract with the medical group.” I’d never heard her voice so soft, and I had to almost lean in her direction to hear her.
“You should talk to Jerry, tonight. He’s a good man.”
“I don’t know . . . I don’t want to put him in the middle.”
“He should hear this from you, instead of him finding out
“True, true.” Jerry drizzled oil and vinegar on his salad. “Would you like some oil and vinegar for your salad, Barkha?” Barkha. We’d made some progress. Not bad at all.
“Yes, thank you. My favorite type of salad dressing.”
“Mine too.” He handed her the glass containers, and their fingertips brushed.
Okay, now we had more progress in the last fifteen minutes than the last fifteen months.
“I think the Cardinals game starts in half an hour,” Ben said.
“Great.” Jerry’s expression brightened. “We can sit back and relax. It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to do that.”
I wanted to kick my hubby under the table, but restrained myself. I was hoping we could all chat about the investigation and the more time Jerry and Barkha spent in the same room together, the better. Maybe Jerry didn’t want to talk about the case, but still . . .
The guys chomped through their meals like oversize caterpillars while Barkha and I focused on Hannah, perched in her high chair at the corner of the table. Several times Barkha looked Jerry’s way, and I noted the same expression I’d seen on her face the other day at Oat Grass. Worried. Very worried.
What was it she’d said to Dr. Bradley that day? Something that happened “a long time ago.” And I couldn’t forget Dr. Bradley’s fuming stomp across the restaurant. His words still stung me, which is probably why I wanted forget the whole encounter.
“Have you heard anything about a memorial service for Dr. Bradley?” I asked Barkha. “I realize it’s soon, but I didn’t know if Eunice mentioned anything.”
“I’m not sure,” Barkha said. “I doubt that the medical examiner has released the body yet. Eunice hasn’t mentioned anything. Neither has Franklin.”
My change of subject certainly hadn’t improved our moods at all. Hannah squealed and waved her cracker-covered fingers at us.
“Look at those teeth.” Barkha’s expression transformed into a smile. Hannah couldn’t help but inspire a smile from someone in a troubled mood.
“Yes, her gums are just erupting. Maybe I’ll get a better night’s sleep tonight now that the latest tooth has pushed through.” At my words, Hannah giggled.
When the guys cleared out from the kitchen, Barkha glanced toward the living room, then snapped her focus to me. “I need to talk to Jerry.”
I nodded and reached for a clean napkin to wipe Hannah’s grubby fingers. “I’ve been hoping we can continue our conversation from Monday.”
Barkha stood, and started stacking dirty plates and bringing them to the dishwasher. “My lunch with Dr. Bradley. About Tushar. And . . . about what happened before.”
“Hey, don’t worry about the plates.”
“I don’t mind helping. Gives my hands something to do.”
A roar from the living room made us look in that direction. “Someone made a hit.”
Barkha smiled, but her hands shook. “Andi, I’m scared.” She sank into one of the wooden chairs.
“Please, tell me what happened.”
“I’m afraid I’m going to end up at the top of Jerry’s suspect list. If not the very top, close to it.”
“Why?”
“Something happened a long time ago. Something that Dr. Bradley found out about me, and, well . . . when we had our discussion the other day, he was talking about releasing me from my contract with the medical group.” I’d never heard her voice so soft, and I had to almost lean in her direction to hear her.
“You should talk to Jerry, tonight. He’s a good man.”
“I don’t know . . . I don’t want to put him in the middle.”
“He should hear this from you, instead of him finding out
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