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“Anything sound good?”
“Think the meat loaf’s decent here?”
“I’d bet my life on it,” I say, taking in the other patrons. A few older couples, a family with three young kids, two cops sitting at the counter. Everyone seems local, chatting with each other across the tables.
The waitress returns with our drinks, setting the clear plastic cups down on the table.
“Y’all ready to order?” She fixes her gaze on Juliet.
“I’ll take the meat loaf, please.”
“Okay. You?”
“The roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and beans, please.”
“Alrighty. I’ll get that in for ya.” She spins on her heel and heads back to the kitchen.
The door tinkles, and another couple walks in, snagging menus and moving straight to a table in the back. I scan the woman’s face as she walks by—not Lacey.
“King, you have a plan yet?” Juliet drops her voice so the customers in the nearby booth won’t overhear. “You going to ask around about her?”
I spin my drink, watch as the ice bangs against the plastic wall of the cup.
“I dunno. Maybe?”
Even though I had six hours of driving to think about this, I still have no good plan.
“Do you know where she works?”
“Yeah. She’s a teacher, so I imagine the local elementary school.”
“Well, we can’t be loitering around a school. We’d probably get arrested. But we could do some searching and try to dig up her home address.”
“Rome looked and couldn’t find it. The letter said she’s divorced, so maybe she’s listed under her married name still.”
“Hmm ...” Juliet bites at her lip, thinking.
“Here y’all go.” The waitress sets down two heaping plates of food. “One meat loaf, one chicken. Y’all need anything else?”
“No, we’re good. Thanks.” I shake my head, unrolling the silverware from the paper napkin.
“Quick question,” Juliet says, plastering on her brightest smile. “We’re visiting and may be looking to move here. The town’s so cute and all ...”
I stare at Juliet, my mouth dry. Where’s she going with this?
“And I was just wondering if you have any recommendations on places to see? You know—to really get a feel for the town.”
The waitress slides her notepad and pen into her apron pocket and holds up a finger.
“One sec.”
A moment later she’s back, a thin newspaper in hand. She drops the paper on the table in front of Juliet.
“Here you go. Local news, plus a list of restaurants—although you’re in one of the few in town—shops, the grocery. That’ll be closed up for the night, but Liam’ll have it open again tomorrow morning, in case y’all need any essentials. There should be some real estate listings in there, too, if you’re in the market for a house. If you see something you like, you should scoop it up quick, though. There’s not a ton of available real estate in town. Y’all have kids?”
She asks the innocent question, but Juliet bristles. Shifting in her seat, she keeps her eyes glued to the table.
“No. No kids.”
