“I’m fine. Sorry.”
“I was just saying,” Nick says, “being a private detective is great work when I can get clients. But it’s been slow so far. So if you got any friends who need someone investigated…”
My heart leaps in my chest. “You investigate people?”
He grins at me, showing off his one gold incisor. Classy. “You got someone you need investigated, cousin?”
I chew on my lip. I’ve had a bad feeling about Olive from the moment I first laid eyes on her. There’s something… off about her. I don’t have any proof aside from a gut feeling, but I just can’t shake it. I know there’s something going on with her. I’m not imagining it.
Also, if I have Olive investigated and she’s clean, it will help me to move on.
“Yes,” I say. “I do. But… I can’t really afford…”
“Hey, we’re family.” Nick holds up his hands. “I wouldn’t charge you nothing. But if you think I do a good job, you spread the word. We got a deal?”
I nod. “Deal.”
“Okay, so who’s the broad you want me investigating?”
“How do you know it’s a woman?”
“Just a feeling I got. Am I right?”
“You’re right.”
And then I tell Nick everything. It’s difficult, because it’s not like Nick is the most sensitive guy on the block. But if he can help me, he’s got to have all the information.
On his part, he’s a real professional. He gets out a mini-pad from his jacket and scribbles down all the information I tell him. He doesn’t crack a smile or make any smartass comments. Little Nico’s really grown up.
Except right as we’re wrapping things up, Nonna walks into the kitchen.
“What is going on here?” she demands to know. “What are you talking about?”
I duck my head down. “Nothing.”
“Is this about Jo-el and his silly girlfriend?” she asks.
“No,” I say quickly, although Nick’s face gives it away.
“This has gone too far!” Nonna rants. She gets up in my face, pointing a wrinkled finger at me. “That wonderful Dr. Dino wants to take you out, but you only obsess about Jo-el. I have had enough! Enough!” She glares at Nick, who cowers by the refrigerator. “And you do not encourage this. She needs to move on!”
With those words, she spins on her heel and marches out of the kitchen. Leaving me and Nick in awkward silence.
“Uh,” he says.
“I’m sorry about that,” I mumble.
“Not the craziest outburst I’ve ever seen in this family. Don’t worry.”
“She’s probably right.” I lower the burner before my sauce gets scalded. “Everything I told you… just forget it. I need to move on.”
“You sure? Because I’ll still do it.” He grins at me. “I’m not afraid of Aunt Angela.”
I lean against the counter, considering his offer. I’ve been so paranoid when it comes to Olive, maybe hearing she’s clean is just what I need to move on. Nonna’s wrong about this one.
“Okay,” I say. “Do it.”
Chapter 32: The New Girl
“You’re really not going to tell me where we’re going?”
Joel is being super secretive about where he’s taking Cassie. He picked her up at Bookland, then said he had this brilliant idea but wouldn’t say what it was. At first, it was sweet and romantic. But ten blocks later, it’s getting old.