Found Money - James Grippando [83]
“You talked to my mother, too?”
“Just on the phone. I tricked her, actually. She didn’t know who I was.”
“So you met Sarah separately?”
“Yeah. I went down to see her. Don’t you Duffys talk to each other?”
“Evidently not.”
The waitress brought Ryan his coffee, gave Amy a half-smile, then disappeared.
Amy asked, “So, how was your so-called business trip?”
“Interesting.”
“What a word. Interesting. Sex is interesting. The Holocaust is interesting.” She glanced at the game on the television set. “Baseball is interesting. In fact, the walk back to your car after the game can be very interesting.”
“What in the world are you talking about now?”
She searched again. Either he really knew nothing, or he was an extremely talented actor. “Nothing,” she said. “I assume your business trip had something to do with our talk last Friday. Can you prove to me that the money came from a legitimate source?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
“We agreed that if you couldn’t prove it was legitimate, I’d go to the police.”
“That’s not in either of our interests.”
Amy leaned forward, bluffing. “I’m not fooling around, Ryan. If you can’t prove to me that it’s legitimate, I have to turn this money over to the police.”
“I believe you. I swear I do.”
She played it cool. He really doesn’t know I no longer have the money. “I hope you aren’t just stalling.”
“I’m not. What I’m trying to do here isn’t easy. And to be honest, I’m sensing a lot of hostility from you that wasn’t there last week, and it isn’t making this any easier.”
“Okay,” she said, backing off a bit. “What is it you’re trying to say?”
He lowered his eyes, unable to meet hers. “I have a feeling this whole thing is leading to something that is very personal to both of us.”
She withdrew, confused. She had come here expecting a confrontation. Instead, he was soft-spoken, considerate, seemingly honest. The circumstances were horrible, but maybe the nice guy she remembered from the Green Parrot was the real Ryan after all. He’s definitely cute. “Personal?” she said, flustered.
“Yes.”
It sounded as if he was about to ask her on a date. “You mean—you and me?”
He looked lost, then embarrassed. “Oh, no. I wasn’t suggesting—you know.”
“No, of course not. That would be…inappropriate. Don’t you think?”
“Highly.”
“Yes. Absolutely.”
They shared an anxious glance. Amy seemed troubled by the way that exchange had just gone. Ryan seemed troubled by what he was about to say.
“What is it?” asked Amy.
“I hate to go into this, but I have to.”
Her anxiety only heightened. “Go on.”
“Maybe it’s just my nature, but I can’t help but ask, why did this money bring you and me together?”
What was he getting at—destiny? “I don’t know.”
“From my standpoint, the more I look into the money, the more I learn about my father. So I’m just wondering if you might learn something, too. About somebody in your own family. Maybe there’s a relative you have always wondered about. Somebody you’d like to know more about.”
Her thoughts immediately turned toward her mother. “Maybe.”
“This might be your chance. That’s all I’m saying.”
Her eyes narrowed. This was suddenly headed in a direction she had never anticipated. Ryan had hit her most sensitive nerve. “If you know something about my mother, say it.”
“So, there is something you’d like to know about your mother?”
“Please, don’t taunt me.”
He hesitated, unsure of how far to take this.
“Before I say anything more, Amy, I’d like to know something. Just answer this one question, okay? My dad was sixty-two years old when he died. How old is your mother?”
“My mother is dead.”
“I’m sorry. How old would she have been if she were alive today?”
She thought for a split second. “Sixty-one.”
“When did she die?”
“You said you had just one question.”
“Sorry. This could be important for both of us. Just tell me, when did she die?”
“Long time ago. When I was eight.”
“Did she ever live in Boulder?”
That was way too close to home. “What’s going on here? What does all this suddenly have