Deadly Vintage: A Molly Doyle Mystery Read Free Page A

shudder. Without a word, he gave his wife an even more withering look, then left.
    Molly waited until he was out the door. “I mean that, Carla. Day or night...just call me.”
    Carla Jessop lifted her chin defiantly. “Thanks, Molly. But don’t worry. He won’t get away with this. I’m Italian, remember?”

Chapter 2
     
    THEIR SHORT WALK to Daria’s for dinner was unusually subdued. Molly was lost in her own sense of déjà vu. The bruise on Carla’s face brought back memories of her own nasty tussle when her marriage ended. Her bruises and fractured ribs had healed quickly, but the memories lingered on. Randall, too, was unusually quiet. Thankfully, Emma didn’t seem to notice and chattered about school.
    By the time they reached the restaurant and headed for the private back room, Molly had managed to shake off her melancholy. Daria DeMarco was setting the table as they entered, and when her warm smile did little to chase away the expression on Randall’s tightly set face, she said, “Okay, what’s the problem? Too many cats up in trees today? No, that was yesterday, right? Maybe an unruly tourist?”
    Randall took off his sport coat and blew Daria a kiss. “Cute, Ms. DeMarco. Very cute.”
    Molly shook her head. “Todd Jessop showed up. That tell you something?”
    “I think Mrs. Jessop should just divorce that macho jerk. Michelle wouldn’t mind at all,” Emma said.
    Shocked, Molly said, “Emma! What made you even say that?”
    “I heard everything. I was at the top of the stairs. Anyway, it’s true. He’s mean and talks terrible to Mrs. Jessop all the time. Michelle told me he’s a bully, too.”
    Molly sighed. “I don’t want you to tell Michelle what happened, Emma. I’m sorry you heard it, but it’s best not to worry her, okay?” Molly gave Randall a look. “Right?”
    “Right. Just between us, okay, Emma?”
    “You should have arrested him,” Emma said.
    Daria set down the last dish with a bang. “What the hell happened?”
    Randall ignored her and told Emma, “It was Mrs. Jessop’s call.”
    “But I heard you tell him he was manhandling her!”
    “A figure of speech. He got the message. That’s what’s important.”
    “Will someone please tell me what happened?” Daria asked.
    Molly jerked her head towards the door. “Can I help you bring dinner in?”
    Daria nodded. “Good idea.”
    Molly filled Daria in as they picked up two trays with salads and French bread. “That Todd Jessop is a real piece of work,” Daria said. “I don’t know why Carla is still with him.”
    Back inside the room, Molly helped Daria set out the food, then said, “I just realized you only set four places. Where’s Dan tonight? And Loomis?”
    “Loomis,” Randall said, “is in San Jose meeting up with an old fishing buddy. He’ll be back later in the week. Our intrepid district attorney, Daniel Lucero, is in Sacramento hobnobbing with his political buddies to drum up support for a few new laws.”
    “It’s like part of the family is missing,” Emma said. “Maybe sometime I could ask Michelle to join us? She told me that you and her mother used to be school friends.”
    Daria grinned. “That was centuries ago. Carla and I were laughing about old times last week when she came in for lunch. You can ask Michelle anytime.”
    Halfway through her salad, Emma said, “Michelle told me her real father died in a helicopter accident and her grandfather can’t stand her mother’s new husband.”
    Molly almost choked on a tomato. “You shouldn’t be repeating things like that.”
    “Well it’s true. I mean, Michelle told me it was. And she said her grandfather on her father’s side blames her grandfather on her mother’s side for it, and that it wasn’t an accident, and—”
    “Whoa. Stop right there,” Molly said.
    Randall looked at Daria. “What’s all this? Something here I should know?”
    Daria passed the bottle of wine to him, then waved him off. “Gossip. That’s all it is.