“Thanks,” I said.
“Maybe I should get one of my own.”
I gave him a long, appraising glance. “You sure you can handle the commitment?”
“Hmm…” His face relaxed, and he winked at me, the old Tony returning. “No,” he said. “No, I’m not.”
“I didn’t think so.”
Spike jogged up to my car. He looked exhausted and on edge at the same time.
“How is it up there?” Tony asked.
“Harold managed to get her tablet into the safe and lock it,” Spike said. “He also talked her into an in-room IV drip therapy session.”
“So she’s temporarily incapacitated,” Tony said.
Spike nodded.
“Good man, Harold.”
“The guy knows how to strategize.”
Tony said a quick goodbye and headed into the hotel. Spike took his place in the front seat. Rosie bounded into his lap, andwe headed toward his restaurant, where I knew the evening rush was just beginning.
I briefed him on the trip to Gloucester, telling him all about Natalie Blythe and how Melanie Joan had inadvertently helped her to find her true calling.
“So she’s obviously not Book Babe,” he said.
“No, but she did give me a lead,” I said. “The head of wardrobe onA Girl and Not a God.I’m going to call her on my way to my parents’.”
Spike nodded slowly. “Speaking of dinner at your parents’…”
“Yeah?”
“When we were on the phone earlier, I heard you telling Tony that Richie can’t make it.”
I sighed. “It’s no big deal.”
“But your mother is involved,” he said. “And Elizabeth.”
“I’m a grown woman,” I said. “I’ve been in therapy for years. This will be a good test of it.”
“Okay, fair enough,” he said. “But is your mother making that scrod?”
“Yes. In fact, she is.”
“I know that scrod. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
I smiled at Spike. “I’ll grab a slice from Regina Pizzeria on my way home.”
I made a left turn and hit a mass of rush-hour traffic. Fortunately, Spike’s restaurant wasn’t that far.
Spike let out a huge sigh. “Okay, fine. I’ll go to your folks’ house with you.”
“You have a job,” I said. “Just like Richie. And unlike Richie, you’ve spent a large part of your day helping me withmyjob.”
“Who cares?”
