Page 98 of Cold Hard Cash

“What is it, Jerry?”

“You have a visitor. A young lady, very insistent that she must see you.”

“Young lady?”

Rowena waved her hand, saying, “Go on. I’ll be down in a little while. Jerry, just keep an eye on things for me? Make sure she’s cool? Until Roddy gets here?”

“Of course,” Jerry said with an obedient nod. “I’ll be waiting downstairs for you,monsieur.”

“So. Rod’s coming here?” Jimmy asked casually once Jerry had left. He tried not to sound too excited.

“Awww, somebody wants to see their loveykins?” Rowena teased, batting her eyes.

“Yeah, but I don’t know if he wants to see me. We had a fight,” Jimmy said with a wrinkle of his nose. “Things were going really well. Like, wow, really well. But I think I pissed him off.”

Rowena’s lovely face creased with worry. “Well, if you’re close enough to actually get under his skin, I’d say you’re doing better than you think, sweetie.” She ran her hands through her tangled hair, sighing, “Look. I need to freshen up.”

“Yeah, got it,” Jimmy nodded, scrambling up to his feet.

“We’ll talk more later, I promise. If you need anything, Jerry will be keeping an eye on you.”

“Thanks, Rowena.”

“Hey, thank you, Jimmy,” Rowena said with a sweet smile. “Now, go on! Go see who your mysterious visitor is. Maybe it’s a talent scout!”

“Ha! Right!” Jimmy laughed.

Rowena blew him as a kiss as he trotted out, taking a deep breath before he started back downstairs.

Playing matchmaker by assuring his new best friend that her crush wouldn’t care about her being a murderess. Yup. Just another day in the life of a mafia boyfriend, Jimmy thought crazily. Things couldn’t get any more insane, right?

Jimmy looked around to see who his visitor was, but he only saw Jerry at first.

“Over there,monsieur,” Jerry said and pointed him to a table on the other side of the bar. There was indeed a young woman waiting there, and she stood up when he began walking toward her.

Jimmy gawked dumbly, unable to stop himself from smiling when he recognized her as his old friend and Augustus’ daughter. “Anna?”

Chapter Twenty

“Why, Jimmy Poe,” Anna Duplin gushed happily, a dazzling smile lighting up her beautiful face. “Look at you!”

Jimmy grinned dopily, his cheeks heating up from the appreciative gaze Anna passed over him in his sharp suit. “Yeah, uhm, thanks,” he said shyly. “But wow, look at you! You look incredible!”

She was even more lovely than Jimmy remembered, dressed in a cute floral print dress and sandals. Casual and equal parts elegant and stylish. She looked absolutely amazing.

“Come here!” Anna insisted, pulling Jimmy in for a big hug.

Jimmy didn’t protest one bit, laughing, “What are you doing back in Strassen?”

“Well, I graduated school a few years ago in Raleigh, interned at the News and Observer, uhm, moved to Baltimore for a while,” Anna babbled excitedly. “I’ve just been everywhere! But Strassen Springs News offered me a position as a lead reporter a few months ago, and I couldn’t resist coming back home.”

“That’s awesome!” Jimmy said. “Uhm, wanna sit down? Catch up a little? I’ve got a few minutes before rehearsal, I think.”

“Sure!” Anna sat back in her seat, smiling sweetly. “Rehearsal, huh? Jimmy Poe the nightclub singer. Wow. Definitely not what I had pictured for you at all.”

“No?” Jimmy sat across from her, blushing when Anna scooted down a seat so they were right next to each other.

“No! I thought you’d be uptown in some swanky condo,” she laughed. “You know, taking all the big high dollar cases. Fancy car, Rolex, all that.”