Anna sighed. “I know. That’s why I periodically sell things when Dad isn’t looking.”
“Is your father around?” Ethel asked, sounding nervous now.
“No, he went to the bank, but he should be back soon if you’d like to stay and talk to him,” Anna offered.
Good thing Ricky had never remembered to put chimes on the back door as well as the front. Not even his daughter knew he’d returned.
“No, thank you,” Lucy said. “We need to be going.”
Ricky nodded. Yes, yes they did. Get out. Go away. Never come back.
“Oh, wait! Is that your father?” Ethel asked.
Ricky shut his eyes and swallowed a groan. On the wall behind Anna was a photograph.
“Yes, it is. That’s my dad and Ed Koch, back when he was mayor of NewYork,” Anna said proudly.
Ricky still recalled the night they’d met at a restaurant and his wife, bless her soul, had insisted that he and the mayor pose together. She’d later had the photo enlarged and framed. Then she’d hung it on the wall.
Ricky had forgotten all about it until now. The innocent picture gave Lucy and Ethel all the information they needed—that this was Ricky’s store and the ring hadn’t been passed around through the years, but had stayed in his hands.
The telephone rang and Anna excused herself to take the call. The phone was right behind her so she didn’t have to come into the back, thank God.
“It was taken a long time ago,” Ethel said. “But he was aging already.” Ricky caught the glee in her tone.
“And not well. Look at that paunch. He’s balding and that comb-over is laughable.”
Lucy always was a bitch, Ricky thought, his hand going to the top of his now completely bald head. Behind those disguises he doubted they looked like cover models these days, either.
“I’m sorry for the interruption,” Anna said, returning. “Did you like the ring? Maybe I can find you something similar.”
“No, thank you. It was such an interesting-looking piece, we were just curious about its history,” Lucy said. “But it was nice chatting with you, dear.”
“Same here. Come back any time. You can talk to my father or maybe there will be something new that interests you!” Anna said in her cheery sales-woman voice.
Normally, Ricky was proud of her ability. Now, though, he cringed.
The jig was up.
He started to sweat, his mind whirling with scenarios of how to deal with the two women when the time came and they cornered him. And he knew for certain they would.
His gut—which had always told him when to do a job and when to get out—had warned him to be prepared for one of them to find him. Not both together. They’d been best friends until that night he’d gotten his kicks with Ethel. The last time Ricky had seen them they’d been rolling around the bedroom floor in what would be called a catfight these days.
Over him.
Coward that he was, he’d slipped out while they were still going at it. All these years he’d assumed they were enemies. Apparently, he’d been wrong, which made his situation even more precarious.
United, those two could make a grown man wet his pants.
CHAPTER TEN
LEXIE AND COOP struck out at the Vintage Jewelers. Anna told them her father had taken a sudden trip out of town. Gone fishing, she’d said, shaking her head, her annoyance clear. Until he returned, they’d get no new information on that end. Lexie hoped they did better asking Coop’s father for a favor.
Only Coop had forgotten it was Ladies’ Night at his father’s bar. The place was crowded and the older Cooper was busy serving drinks. That meant Lexie and Coop had to hang out until things slowed down and Jack had time to talk. Thankfully, he had saved them the same table in the back.
Since she didn’t know anyone at the bar and she had work to do, Lexie settled in. Coop went to order drinks and made the rounds, saying hello to people and chatting it up. Thanks to the preponderance of women hanging around and Coop’s status as the Bachelor, all the ladies surrounded him, stopping to make conversation and gauge his interest. To his credit, his body language didn’t lead any of the women on, but Lexie couldn’t control the jealousy coursing through her anyway.
Deciding that the green monster didn’t suit her, she pulled out her laptop and started to make notes on ideas she had for his site. Words that described him and his work. Though she still needed to read his novel, the feel of the site was something that came naturally to her. She always started with a color scheme, so she pulled up Pantone charts and from there it was easy to narrow down the ones that worked for her, but she picked a variety so he’d have a choice.
“You’re back a second time. That’s impressive. So my brother hasn’t scared you away.” Matt Cooper pulled up a chair and joined her.
She forced a smile, mostly because she was still stinging over the subject of Coop’s next book. “Your brother and I have business together.”
Matt raised an eyebrow. The inquisitive look gave him a resemblance to his brother, but not enough to eclipse Coop in the looks department. Matt was handsome, just not as drop-dead sexy as Coop. At least in Lexie’s biased opinion.
“Personal business or private?” he asked.
Lexie rolled her eyes. “What is it with you Cooper brothers and asking questions?”
“It’s in the blood.” Matt grinned. “So?”
Lexie decided he wouldn’t give up without an honest answer. “Both. But right now I’m working on his Web site.” She didn’t intend to reveal anything about the mystery of the ring. That was for Coop to do, not her.
“What kind of Web site does he need?” Matt asked, seemingly confused.
“He’s a published author. Author’s need Web sites.” Wasn’t that obvious? she wondered.
Matt’s eyes opened wide and he let out a laugh. “Come on. His mystery writing is just a hobby. He’s a crime reporter. That’s what he does.”
If Matt believed that, then he didn’t know his brother well at all. Though she ought to bite her tongue, she couldn’t. “Have you read his book?”
She should have bitten it harder.
“I’m not much of a reader.” Matt glanced down at the scarred wooden table. At least he seemed embarrassed by his lack of interest.
“Did you buy a copy to support him?” Lexie pushed.
He squirmed in his seat.
Clearly he didn’t enjoy being on the other end of an interrogation, she thought, amused.