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situation.
    “We’ll deal with it when it happens,” Jake said as he reached over and patted my hand gently. It was a sweet gesture, and I was glad that I had someone like him in my life. Trish hadn’t had any luck at all finding love with the exception of a man who’d been murdered soon after they’d started dating, and I couldn’t help but hope that someday her Jake would find her, just as mine had found me.
    After Trish came back and took our lunch orders, Momma walked in, searching the tables until she found us. A petite woman with more sass in her than a busload of teenage girls, my mother was frowning as she approached us, and I wondered what kind of trouble had visited her lately. Had she heard about Jake’s confrontation with Teresa, or was this possibly about something else?

    “There you both are,” she said as she took an empty chair. “I’ve been looking all over town for you.”
    “Did you hear about Teresa Logan?” I asked her.
    “No, what about her?” Momma asked as she shed her coat.
    “She’s dead,” I said simply, not knowing any other way of breaking the news to her.
    “Oh, dear. That’s terrible. She’s awfully young to die. What happened to her? Was it a car accident? It wasn’t suicide, was it? What a complete and utter waste that would be.”
    “I’m afraid someone killed her in her office,” Jake said gravely. “Suzanne and I found the body not much more than an hour ago.”
    “That’s horrible. What is this world coming to? Have they caught the killer yet?”
    “No,” I said simply. “If that wasn’t why you were looking for us, what’s up?”
    “Suzanne, would you mind coming by the house this evening? Phillip and I need to speak with you.”
    “I have two questions for you. First, is Jake invited, too, and second, will there be food?” I asked her.
    “You don’t have to invite me, Dot. I won’t be offended if this is family business.”
    “Hey, you’re in this family, too,” I reminded him. There was no way I was going to let my husband be excluded, no matter what was happening.
    “The invitation was for both of you,” she said. “Sorry I didn’t make that clear. And yes, I’ll be happy to feed you. Let’s say six, shall we?”
    “Momma, what’s this about?” I asked her. We shared meals at each other’s homes occasionally, but usually nothing as formal as a personal invitation played a part in it.
    “We’ll discuss it this evening,” Momma said as she stood.
    “I brought you some sweet tea, Dot,” Trish said from behind her.
    “No thank you, dear, but Jake needs a refill. Let him have it,” she said with a smile.
    After Momma was gone and Jake had a second glass of sweet tea in front of him, he asked me, “What do you suppose that was all about?”
    “I haven’t the slightest clue,” I admitted, “but I’m guessing that it’s not good.”
    “Do you think she and Phillip are getting a divorce?” Jake asked me gravely.
    “What? No! Of course not! He’s wanted to be with her forever. He would never leave her.”
    “What if your mother were leaving him?” Jake asked.
    “That can’t be it. Jake, she’s smitten with him. Great. Now that’s all I’m going to be able to think about until tonight. Hang on. I’m going to find out what’s going on right now.”
    Jake tried to grab my arm, but I sidestepped him. Trish was bringing our meals out as I slipped past her as well. “I’ll be right back.”
    “Fine, but don’t let this get cold,” Trish said with a frown.
    “I won’t.”
    I hurried out into the parking lot, but I was too late.
    Momma was already gone.
    Apparently I’d have to wait until this evening to find out what was going on after all.

    Fifteen minutes later, I pushed my nearly empty plate away. We’d both ordered the special, which had featured meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans, along with a fresh dinner roll and a small pat of butter. I’d eaten more than I should have, but that was often the way