I spotted Mrs. Tidwell coming in and stood to wave her over.
“Wow,” she said, unwrapping her stylish scarf. She was around my age and had been married to Marvin for just a little over a year. “This place is busy.”
I frowned and looked around. “Right? It’s never this busy this early. And there are so many women.”
“That’s unusual?” she asked as she settled in and ordered a water from our server.
“It is. This is kind of a cop hangout, and I’ve just never seen so many women in here. And once again, it is hotter than sin.”
“I’m fine, but if you’re hot —”
“No, it’s okay.”
Before we could get down to business, our server came back with our waters. I ordered a green chili stew, my usual, and Mrs. Tidwell ordered a taco salad. Maybe I should have ordered that. It sounded wonderful. Or maybe I should have ordered the chicken quesadilla from the night before. Now I was being indecisive. I hated the indecisive me. I liked the decisive me, the one who ordered the usual, then longed for something else I saw as it passed on a platter after I was halfway finished with mine.
“Don’t you think so?”
“I’m sorry.” Had she been talking that whole time? I hated the ADD me, too. I much preferred —
“What do you think?”
Shit. Did it again. I called out to our server. “Can you bring me a coffee, too?” Coffee would help. Or not. Either way.
“So, what did you find out?”
I pulled out the pictures and told Valerie Tidwell everything I’d found out so far. “I know this seems damning, but I’d like to keep checking, if you don’t mind.”
She sniffled into her napkin. “I knew it. I could just tell. He’s been pulling away from me, you know? He used to notice everything. If I styled my hair differently. If I raised the hem on a skirt. I thought it was so charming, but now, nothing. It’s like I’ve become invisible.”
“Hon, this isn’t really evidence that he has been cheating on you. He invited my associate to a hotel, but that’s as far as it got.”
Through the tears, “And I suppose he just wanted to play canasta.” Canasta was fun. Or it sounded fun. I’d never actually played, but it sounded kind of kinky for some reason.
“I know this is hard,” I said, “but can I ask you about your weight?”
“My weight?”
“Yes, it’s just, well, you weighed quite a bit more when you got married.”
I’d embarrassed her. “Yes, I’ve had a weight problem my whole life. I had surgery so I could shed some pounds. It was beginning to affect my health. Why?”
“I just, it’s just that I think that could be part of the problem. My associate is… well, bigger. And he wouldn’t give me the time of day. I think he likes bigger women.”
Her face morphed into disbelief. “He’s cheating on me because I lost weight?”
“No, Mrs. Tidewell. If he’s cheating on you, it’s because he is not the man you thought he was. This is not your fault. It’s his.”
“I just can’t believe it. I mean, I thought men left their wives when they gained weight, not the other way around.”
“I was a little surprised as well. But again, your weight shouldn’t matter. If he really loved you, he would love you for you, not your body. But I have to be honest. I’m a little worried about you.”
“Me?” she said, her brows drawn.
“Yes. Your husband saw the recording device I’d put on my associate’s scarf. He knows that he was set up.”
“Yes, I got your messages. He spent the night in jail and is going to be arraigned this morning.”
“I’m worried about you. He was pretty angry when he found that mic. I’m not sure what he’ll do.”
“Oh, no, he’s a pu**ycat. He’s never raised a hand to me, if that’s what you’re worried about. He knows better.”
“Well, good. That makes me feel a little better, but just in case, do you have someone you can call?”
“I do. I can call my parents anytime. He reveres my father. He wouldn’t risk making him angry.”
I wasn’t so sure about that.
“Just please call me if you need to.”
“I will.”
Our food came and we ate in relative silence. Partly because I wasn’t sure what else to say, how else to console Mrs. Tidwell, but mostly because I was once again in heaven. The green chili stew, which was always delicious, seemed to melt on my tongue and cause each and every taste bud in my mouth to burst with joy. It was amazing.
Dad walked up. “How is it?”
“Incredible. Will you send my regards to Sammy? He has outdone himself again.”
“Sammy’s out, hon. Broke his leg trying to ski off his roof. I’ve warned him about mixing beer and ski equipment.”
“Then who —?”
Dad’s phone rang and he excused himself to answer it.
“Are you sure I can’t do anything else?” I asked Valerie.
She stood to leave with her shoulders straight and her chin high. “No. I know exactly who I’m calling next.”
“Who would that be?”
“My lawyer.”
I smiled and got up to leave, too. Uncle Bob and I were meeting at the bridge to find a missing person. Just as I headed out the back door, Jessica walked in. Her expression was one of pity.