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admirer?” I asked as soon as Ted was out of earshot. “Must be for you.”
    “You’re too hard on yourself, Joanie.” Lonna sipped her wine. “It’s very good by the way, very smooth.”
    I lifted a couple of mushrooms to my plate. They smelled of some sharp, salty cheese—gruyere, I thought—a savory blend of herbs, and fresh sourdough breadcrumbs. The tops were perfectly browned, and when I cut one in half, real lump crabmeat that smelled sweet instead of fishy spilled out. While buttery, it was by no means greasy, and the mushrooms themselves were cooked to the perfect texture.
    “They certainly know how to do food here.” I thought back to the breakfast we’d had at the diner. I considered myself a pretty discriminating eater, and it was rare for me to have two meals in a day that bowled me over.
    Lonna nodded, her mouth full. I studied her as I blew on a bite of mushroom. While she and Kyra Ellison may be similar in build and coloring, Lonna had a certain genuineness. I thought it made her much more attractive than the arrogant Kyra.
    As I snagged another mushroom, I admitted I was torturing myself by comparing the two women. I would never be as tall, attractive or curvy as either. No one would give me a second glance if they saw me next to either of them. And as much as the thought of a secret admirer thrilled me, I had to admit it was probably Lonna who had one. Either that, or someone decided my grandfather’s fortune made me that much more attractive.
    “Two cents for your thoughts?” Lonna grinned at me. She resembled a vampire with the red wine on her lips and teeth.
    “I thought it was just a penny?”
    She waved her hand. “Inflation.”
    “They’re PhD thoughts. They should be worth at least a dime.”
    “You’re evading the question.”
    “Lucky in life, unlucky in love?”
    “Yeah, that seemed like a self-pity look.” She leaned forward. “You’ve had a hard day. Hard month, actually.”
    “That’s one way of putting it.”
    Lonna reached over to cover my hand with hers. “You’re not in it alone.”
    At that moment, Ted reappeared with an “Aha, I thought so!” smirk. Lonna leaned back, and laughter danced in her eyes with the candlelight. As she gave her order, I glanced over the menu and picked out the first thing that sounded good: blue-cheese-stuffed beef tenderloin with port wine and mushroom sauce. It came with a salad and rolls, and my stomach growled in appreciation when my eyes landed on the dessert selection.
    “Doctor Fisher?” he asked.
    “She must have seen something chocolate.”
    “I’ll have the tenderloin, house salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and mashed potatoes for the side.”
    “Very good. I’ll get these in and check on you in a little bit.”
    “He’s cute.” Lonna followed him with her eyes. “I’m a sucker for a guy with dark hair and a dimple.”
    “I don’t think he considers us eligible.”
    “Yeah, I caught that look.” She arched an eyebrow. “You know, that may actually work to our advantage.”
    “No way.”  
    “Hmmm, you’re right.” I could almost see the wheels turning as she went through the possible ramifications. “As conservative as these little towns can be, you don’t want to give the locals any reason to dislike you.”
    “Not any more than they already do.”
    “I doubt it. They’re just curious. Have you gotten any hostility?”
    “Only from the Bowman brothers. And by the way, Peter Bowman is a creep.” I filled Lonna in on the almost-conversation I’d had with Louise about the kitchen. I lowered my voice. “And then he basically said he’d out you as a P.I. if you didn’t go by to see him tomorrow.”
    She pursed her lips. “It may be a good idea. I’m sure he has a different perspective on the child disappearances.”
    “It sounds like he wants to get a different perspective on you. Like with your clothes off.”
    “Possibly.”
    “Now you’re being evasive.”
    She shrugged. “You know me.