Page 81 of Diners, Damsels & Wolves

Clarissa frowned. “Umm, well, actually … it didn’t go too well. I sort of told him to leave me alone for a little while.”

“Do you need to talk about it?”

She shook her head.

“Okay, then let’s wait some tables, huh?” Sylvia asked.

Clarissa nodded, eager for the breakfast rush to start—anything to divert her thoughts.

Hours later, the morning and noon rush had passed. Officer Sara was the only one in the dining room. She was wearing her beige cop uniform and had a mountain of paperwork with her. She’d been parked at her table for hours. Clarissa had her sleeves rolled up, vigorously cleaning anything she could get her hands on, the satisfying burn of bleach filling her nose.

The front bell jingled. She turned, eager for something to do. Her heart caught in her throat, then sank. Maria came in, flanked by two men. The broad Hispanic one Clarissa recognized as Samuel, Maria’s husband, and a tall one built like an Olympic swimmer with curly brown hair down to his shoulders. She was sure she’d seen him at the picnic. Was it a mafia requirement to be freakishly tall?

Maria sat at a table, leaning back and rubbing her belly. Clarissa went up to her. Folding her arms over her chest, she said, “I don’t want to talk to him.”

“Thomas doesn’t know I’m here. Emmanuel, Sam, do you mind? Go sit over there or something.” She scowled at the men until they sat in a booth at the other end of the room.

“That’s better.” Maria smiled. “Would you sit with me?”

The way she said it reminded Clarissa how Tom had asked her the same thing so long ago. Looking at Maria now, Clarissa couldn’t help but see their similarities: the angle of their noses, the freckles scattered across their cheeks, the same warm brown eyes. It hurt more than she thought it would.

“Listen, Maria, it’s nothing personal, I just don’t …”

“I’m not here to try and convince you to get back together with Tom. It’s about the fire, you need to know.”

“No, I don’t want to hear this,” Clarissa said. “I don’t want to know any more about your family business or the … dealings you have with other family bosses.”

“Wait, what?” Maria furrowed her brow.

“I’m not interested in protection from your family boss or his goons.”

“Clarissa, what do you think we are?”

“I’m not—Listen, the less I know, the better. That way I won’t have to lie to the cops. I already promised I wouldn’t tell anyone.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. Why was Maria talking about this in the open? Didn’t she see there was a cop sitting a few feet from her? “I know Tom offered me ‘protection,’ but I’m not interested. I don’t want to meet any more bosses or hear anything about your dealings or business.”

Maria gasped. “Oh no, they called him and the others ‘boss’ at the picnic, didn’t they? Do you think we’re in organized crime?”

“I don’t want to know anything!”

“Oh no, oh, Clarissa, you’ve got the wrong idea. I thought you knew the truth. This would have been so much easier to explain if you knew the truth. Oh, those idiots! This whole thing could have been avoided.”

After rubbing her temples, Maria grabbed Clarissa’s hands and pulled her down to a seat.

“Listen, you’ve got it wrong. I can’t tell you the truth, you really need to hear that from Tom. But what I can tell you is that you are in danger. The fire, that wasn’t an accident, and neither was the fire that killed your parents.”

“What?” Clarissa stared at her, dumbfounded.

“Please, you really need to talk to Tom. Try to come by the family house later today. He’s working nights so he’s asleep right now, but just try to get there before sunset, okay? Promise me you’ll think about it.”

“Maria.” Sam came over. “We need to go.”

“Alright.” Maria let Sam help her from the chair while Emmanuel held the door open.

Clarissa watched them go. She was even more confused. What the hell was going on?

* * *

Sitting in the window, Clarissa watched raindrops run down the glass of Jeff and Eugene’s family room. A heavy mist hung over the gravel. Rays from the sunset caught in the droplets painted everything in a hazy orange glow.