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Rusty was at peace with herself in a way she had never been before, and it had nothing to do with visiting family and everything to do with finding Cameron.
She’d spent most of the morning working and then part of the afternoon back in the hot tub. When she got back in her room and saw his text about Vanzant and the photos, she immediately forwarded it to Agent Howard.
Within minutes, he texted her back.
Message received. Our boy is paying off. We may need to move you from undercover to active investigation with him as your liaison to the community, but that’s yet to be decided. Continue as planned.
She sent a text back to Howard that she’d received the message, then sent another one to Cameron.
Good lead! Talk to you tonight.
Hyped from the sudden activity involving their investigation, Rusty went to shower and get ready for her evening with family, then checked her computer for updates and emails before going to join them.
Her aunt Pat was in the library playing bartender. Ray was in his easy chair by the fireplace with a gin and tonic in one hand and his phone in the other, arguing vehemently with someone. Liz was sitting near the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown Jubilee, stirring her drink with her finger.
Patricia saw Rusty walk in. “Good evening, darling. Did you have a good rest?”
“Yes, thank you. Nothing is ever so wrong that a good dip in a hot tub won’t fix it,” she said.
Patricia laughed. “Would you like something to drink?”
Rusty plopped down on the sofa. “Hmm, I took a pain pill earlier, so just sparkling water for me tonight.”
Patricia frowned. “Oh, honey, are you still in that kind of pain?”
“Just my knee, but I’m doing exactly what the doctor said. Light exercise, water therapy, and rest when I feel like it.”
Patricia brought her drink and kissed the top of Rusty’s head before sitting down beside her. “So, we’re still on for lunch tomorrow?” she asked.
Rusty nodded. “Yes! There are so many little nooks and crannies in this town that intrigue me. I want to try the Back Porch. Liz says the food is good.”
Liz smiled. “It’s fine dining, hillbilly style. The food is good, but the decor is very rural in design. Wooden tables. Red-and-white oilcloth table covers. Salt and pepper shakers shaped like mini-mason jars, and the drinks are served in wide-mouth pint canning jars.”
Patricia rolled her eyes. “It’s a little too quaint for my taste, but Liz is right about the food. And we’re still on for eleven thirty?”
Rusty nodded and took a sip of her water.
Ray finally hung up and then downed the rest of his drink like medicine.
“Ray, honey, is everything okay?” Patricia asked.
He frowned. “Yes, nothing drastic. Just an employee issue. One of my best hostesses took personal leave again and I didn’t know it. She does this randomly. If she wasn’t so good at her job, I’d let her go.”
Rusty frowned. “I wonder why? Where does she go?”
“I have no idea,” Ray said.
“What is her name?” Rusty asked.
“Emily Payne.”
“Do you have a photo of her?” Rusty asked.
Ray paused, then gave Rusty a long look.
“I imagine we do,” he said slowly. “Why?”
