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“The Woleks did this?” Dave asked, also looking around.
“They were in here talking us down and Margie kicked them out,” Demmy said. “Looks like she’s paying a price for her loyalty.”
“Which we can hopefully pay back by shutting down their civil suit against me,” Cody said. “But until that time, we have something more immediate to discuss.”
At that moment Margie approached their booth. “Hiya, boys. Good to see you. Whaddya have today?”
Cody sighed and sat back. Would he ever get a chance to tell what he’d found out?
They placed their orders, and Margie headed back to the kitchen. Where before she would have practically speed walked across the diner, now she took her time. Why rush when she had so few customers to take care of? Cody fought back a rush of guilt about the hit Margie’s business was taking, and instead he leaned in over the table. The others copied his move, and Cody kept his voice low as he related what he and Lucia had learned, including that Lucia had thought the woman caught walking past Adrianna Compton’s house might have been Claudia Sykes.
“What the hell could that mean?” Dave said, looking at Ollie.
Ollie shrugged. “Only thing that immediately comes to mind is a zombie.” He looked at Demmy. “But her body is still in the morgue, right?”
Demmy looked at Cody. “Is it?”
Cody shrugged. “How should I know?”
“Wasn’t Devin wearing a suit when he was found?” Demmy said.
“Yeah, he was,” Cody said. “And he was wearing it when he got into the car with the woman who may or may not have been his dead wife.”
“Too bad you don’t know anyone who works at the hospital and can check the morgue for you,” Dave said, tapping his chin.
Cody scowled. “You’ve gotten a lot more sassy since you moved in with Ollie.”
Dave and Ollie smiled at each other, and Cody was pretty sure some groping was going on beneath the table. Gross.
“He definitely brings that out in me,” Dave said, keeping his eyes on Ollie. “And a lot more.”
“Good God,” Cody muttered.
Margie arrived with their meals, saving Cody from hearing anything more about the two of them opening each other up. As they ate, they talked quietly about possible next steps, and by the time they’d finished, they decided he and Demmy would work on finding out where Claudia Sykes’s body was currently located, while Dave and Ollie would do some online digging to find out whatever they could about unnatural things associated with water. Demmy and Dave paid with credit cards, and as they left the diner, Cody was glad to see a few more booths were occupied.
Out on the sidewalk, Cody pointed first at his brother, then at Ollie. “Just because you’re going to be researching unnatural things to do with water, I don’t want to hear about the two of you bathing or showering together or anything like that.”
Ollie, the fuck, directed a pitying look at Demmy. “I’m sorry your husband is so prim and proper.”
Demmy laughed, and then leaned into Cody and put an arm around his waist. “Oh, he’s definitely not prim and proper with me. But thanks.”
Cody didn’t know how to take that comment, so he held his tongue, which seemed to amuse Dave and Ollie even more. Assholes.
“You two deserve each other,” Cody said, his voice sounding gruff even to himself.
He and Demmy headed for the truck while Dave and Ollie walked off down the sidewalk, their laughter trailing behind.
“Where should we start?” Demmy asked once he’d climbed in behind the wheel.
“I’m not prim and proper, huh?” Cody said, getting into the passenger seat.
“Oh, my most handsome husband.” Demmy leaned over and gave him a long, tongue-heavy kiss, and when he drew back, Cody’s breath was caught in his chest and Demmy’s pupils were much too wide for the golden light of the sun low in the sky. “You are most definitely not prim and proper, and I love that about you.”
Cody smiled, adjusted himself, and said, “Well, thank you. Glad to see my efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.”
“Once we get home, I can demonstrate just how much I’ve noticed your efforts. But for now, where should we start? Hospital or sheriff’s department?”
Cody flipped a mental coin. “Let’s go to the sheriff’s department first and get that out of the way.”
