so tight with Georges. Maybe he was going in to light a candle for his friend. But what if he did have secrets to hide? The deadly kind? Nikki didn’t know, but was determined to find out as she parked her car and walked toward the church.
She made the sign of the cross as she entered, knowing that was what she was supposed to do. But wait a minute, she wasn’t Catholic. She’d grown up a Protestant and now had spread her wings spiritually, even studying some of the Buddhist philosophies. Uh-oh. Was she being sacrilegious? She hoped not. Hell was not a place she desired to visit.
She sat down in one of the last rows. There were a handful of people scattered throughout the pews and a few more lighting candles in the front, but no Baron. Then she saw him coming from the other side of the church. She bowed her head as if in prayer and watched as he slipped behind a pair of velvet curtains. Confession. What was he confessing? She wished she could hear. About fifteen minutes later she saw him emerge, then go over and light a candle. He then turned and came down the aisle. He spotted her and their eyes connected. She nodded and stood. He did not smile. She squeezed out of the row. “Hello, Baron. I was here reflecting.”
“I see. Yes, well, tis a good place to do that. I had some reflections of me own to tend to.” He palmed his hand through his thick head of dark hair and lowered his voice. “I best be going. Nice to see ye, Ms. Sands.”
“I’m going, too. I’ll walk out with you.”
Baron didn’t say anything and Nikki had to walk briskly to keep up with him. He moved like he needed to get the heck out of church in the worst way, or away from her. Nikki wasn’t sure which.
They opened the doors. Nikki broke the silence. “I’m terribly sorry about Georges. I know you two were quite close.”
“We were.” She followed him to his truck. “Can I ask ye what ye want of me? I’m not in the mood to talk and want to get back. I’m making plans to go home.”
“To San Francisco?”
“No. Ireland. I’m not happy here and now with Georges gone, I don’t want to stay. We had a dream together to build these restaurants, but home is where I want to be.”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but can I ask you, since you were so close, who might want to see Georges dead?”
He sighed and stopped to face her. Nikki caught a whiff of Old Spice and sweet tobacco. “I can’t say that I know. He could be a difficult person, but in his heart he was a good man. Not always honest. Did some things that I did not approve of, and now he will have to take that up with his maker.” Baron looked skyward.
“What kind of things did Georges do that troubled you?” Nikki pressed.
“Ye know, Ms. Sands, that is all private business and I like to leave the past where it belongs. I need to be moving along now. Once the police clear me of any wrongdoing, which I believe should be soon, then I have to get on a plane and make me way home.”
He climbed in his truck and shut the door before she had a chance to ask him anything further. Wow. Really a different man from the one she’d spoken with yesterday, who’d been jovial and charming. Okay, so he had lost his pal, but did he have to be so rude to her? There was something behind his confession and there was something behind his curtness with her. Nikki felt certain that Baron O’Grady was hiding something.
Chapter 10
After she left the church, Nikki was disappointed to find that Andrés wasn’t at Grapes. She placed an order for a filet with a walnut, caramelized onion, and gorgonzola sauce. She wanted something substantial after her day and she knew she had a terrific bottle of Merlot that would go with it. Then, she remembered her house guest and placed a second order, for Janie.
Janie was in the shower when Nikki returned to the cottage. With all the running around during the day, chasing financial advisors carrying copious amounts of cash, flashing her not-so-hefty
She made the sign of the cross as she entered, knowing that was what she was supposed to do. But wait a minute, she wasn’t Catholic. She’d grown up a Protestant and now had spread her wings spiritually, even studying some of the Buddhist philosophies. Uh-oh. Was she being sacrilegious? She hoped not. Hell was not a place she desired to visit.
She sat down in one of the last rows. There were a handful of people scattered throughout the pews and a few more lighting candles in the front, but no Baron. Then she saw him coming from the other side of the church. She bowed her head as if in prayer and watched as he slipped behind a pair of velvet curtains. Confession. What was he confessing? She wished she could hear. About fifteen minutes later she saw him emerge, then go over and light a candle. He then turned and came down the aisle. He spotted her and their eyes connected. She nodded and stood. He did not smile. She squeezed out of the row. “Hello, Baron. I was here reflecting.”
“I see. Yes, well, tis a good place to do that. I had some reflections of me own to tend to.” He palmed his hand through his thick head of dark hair and lowered his voice. “I best be going. Nice to see ye, Ms. Sands.”
“I’m going, too. I’ll walk out with you.”
Baron didn’t say anything and Nikki had to walk briskly to keep up with him. He moved like he needed to get the heck out of church in the worst way, or away from her. Nikki wasn’t sure which.
They opened the doors. Nikki broke the silence. “I’m terribly sorry about Georges. I know you two were quite close.”
“We were.” She followed him to his truck. “Can I ask ye what ye want of me? I’m not in the mood to talk and want to get back. I’m making plans to go home.”
“To San Francisco?”
“No. Ireland. I’m not happy here and now with Georges gone, I don’t want to stay. We had a dream together to build these restaurants, but home is where I want to be.”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but can I ask you, since you were so close, who might want to see Georges dead?”
He sighed and stopped to face her. Nikki caught a whiff of Old Spice and sweet tobacco. “I can’t say that I know. He could be a difficult person, but in his heart he was a good man. Not always honest. Did some things that I did not approve of, and now he will have to take that up with his maker.” Baron looked skyward.
“What kind of things did Georges do that troubled you?” Nikki pressed.
“Ye know, Ms. Sands, that is all private business and I like to leave the past where it belongs. I need to be moving along now. Once the police clear me of any wrongdoing, which I believe should be soon, then I have to get on a plane and make me way home.”
He climbed in his truck and shut the door before she had a chance to ask him anything further. Wow. Really a different man from the one she’d spoken with yesterday, who’d been jovial and charming. Okay, so he had lost his pal, but did he have to be so rude to her? There was something behind his confession and there was something behind his curtness with her. Nikki felt certain that Baron O’Grady was hiding something.
Chapter 10
After she left the church, Nikki was disappointed to find that Andrés wasn’t at Grapes. She placed an order for a filet with a walnut, caramelized onion, and gorgonzola sauce. She wanted something substantial after her day and she knew she had a terrific bottle of Merlot that would go with it. Then, she remembered her house guest and placed a second order, for Janie.
Janie was in the shower when Nikki returned to the cottage. With all the running around during the day, chasing financial advisors carrying copious amounts of cash, flashing her not-so-hefty
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