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Then Luna got a flash. “Hey, Christopher, based on the letter, it seems as if the person who sent the trunk is looking for someone.”
Cullen interrupted. “Weren’t you the one who said, ‘no shoptalk’?” Luna tapped his foot again, to which he responded, “Continue. Please.”
Gaines smiled at both of them. “And you surmised there is a missing person involved? How?” He stopped and reversed his approach. “Why do I ask? I should know better by now.” He laughed quietly.
“It was something in the letter. Something about the contents, and if they were in good order to please return them,” Luna said. “I would think that was a given. You return items contained within. But he made a point of it, so it had to be on his mind.”
“OK. But how do you know it’s a he?” Gaines mused. “Never mind. Dumb question.”
“And, so, maybe you could help us find the missing person?” Luna spoke in an innocent, childlike fashion.
“We don’t know if it has anything to do with a missing person.” Cullen jumped in, hoping to save Gaines the headache he was about to inherit.
Gaines leaned back in his chair. “As much as I would love to join the Jessica Fletcher Committee, I have to get back to Charlotte.”
“Tonight? But it’s getting late,” Luna said, disappointed. Disappointed for a couple of reasons.
Cullen decided to take a flying leap. “Hey, man, why don’t you crash at my place tonight? I have a foldout in my den. Then you can get a fresh start in the morning.”
Luna almost choked on her drink. Gaines staying at her brother’s house. That could go in many different directions. She wished she had the guts to ask him to stay in her spare room, but she still wasn’t ready for the totally awkward moment. If there would ever be one.
Gaines perked up. “Sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all. Give us a chance to catch up. I have a few new fishing flies I’d like to show you.”
“You tie them yourself?” Gaines was truly interested.
“I wish I could take the credit, but I’m learning.”
“I’ve taken Carter fishing a few times, but I’d like to get him into fly-fishing. Something we can keep doing as I get older.” He snickered. “Touch football is going to be out of my range soon enough.”
Luna jumped in. “Don’t be ridiculous! You’re in great shape!”
“Yeah, now. But in twenty, thirty years, I’d still like to have something in common with my son.”
“Christopher makes a very good point,” Chi-Chi added to the conversation. “It is important to have strong roots and bonds at an early age. Too often children grow up and grow out of the family unit. Even if they move away, it’s important to have something in common that can keep the threads of the family fabric strong.” Everyone stopped for a moment to digest what Chi-Chi had imparted. “Take the two of you, for example. You have restoration and design in common, as well as the soul of an artist.”
Luna was thoughtful. “True, but he still thinks I’m zany.”
Gaines laughed. “I don’t think that is something you can learn, or teach, for that matter.”
“I know I’ve said this before, but you should think about being a comedian if this marshal thing doesn’t work out.” Luna wrinkled her nose at him.
“Well, if I’m not intruding, that would be great. I am a little beat, and two more hours on the road would probably finish me off.”
“Good. Then it’s settled.” Cullen poured another round of wine. “Cheers!”
Luna tried to keep her thoughts under control.What would they talk about? Me? Him? Would Cullen be audacious enough to ask Gaines how he felt about their “relationship”?
She smiled in agreement. “Brilliant idea. You can stop by the center in the morning for a scone and cappuccino.”
“Oh, but you wouldn’t think of asking me to look at the letter, now would you?” Gaines teased.
“Only if you have time.” Luna was being sincere. She could try to lure him back to Asheville once she got the project underway.
“Let’s see how the morning unfolds. As long as I can be back in my office by one. I have a debriefing about the case in Louisville.”
The rest of the evening passed by with anecdotal stories, jokes, and laughs. The four of them got along like old friends. Luna once joked that maybe they all knew each other from a previous life. But when Gaines gave her a sideways look, she decided to zip it. It was enough he had accepted her intuitive skills. She didn’t want to ruin it by going all weirdo on him.
