Sedona Law 4 by Dave Daren (ready to read books TXT) 📕

She had a point. I did do that kind of stuff in Los Angeles, but here, where everyone knew everyone, schmoozy dinners seemed a bit redundant.

“It’s just an arraignment,” I said. “But, I guess it couldn’t hurt.”

“Good,” she said. “Because we’re meeting them at Blanc in about an hour.”

“Well,” I said. “Then I guess it’s as good a time as any to close up shop. We’ve had a productive day. Let’s be ready for this arraignment bright and early.”

We locked up, and Vicki and I went home to our little cottage to change.

“Did you ever call a realtor?” I asked her as I headed to the shower.

“Yes,” she said as she pulled dresses out of the closet. “We meet with her the day after tomorrow. Her name is Susan Burkewitz, and she’s supposed to be the best one in Sedona.”

“That’s a high recommendation,” I remarked, as I undressed.

She snickered and held up two dresses on hangers that looked identical except for the color.

“The blue or the green?” she asked.

“The blue,” I chose. “So what about this realtor?”

“Well,” she laughed. “She’s a ‘nice’ lady.”

“Nothing good ever starts with that premise,” I said.

“It’s just... she’s a little…” she trailed off.

“A little what?” I asked.

“A little... enthusiastic,” she said as she hung the blue dress back in the closet.

“Enthusiastic, huh?” I repeated. “Well, that should be interesting.”

“You’ll like her,” she said. “Eventually.”

“Eventually?” I asked. “You’re doing little to instill confidence in our real estate search.”

“Just, don’t mention the hat,” she said.

“The hat?” I repeated. “What hat?”

“Just… you’ll see,” she said.

She laughed and slipped into the green dress. “Let’s just focus on the dinner.”

“Fine,” I agreed. “And I said the blue dress.”

“I know,” she said. “But I like the green one better.”

“Then why did you even ask me?” I asked.

She laughed. “I changed my mind. Now, are you going to take a shower or not?”

“I will never understand your species,” I said.

“We were never meant to be understood,” she said. “After all, what would be the fun in that?”

“You do have a point there,” I replied.

She hissed and did a creepy alien gesture with her fingers. I just rolled my eyes and laughed.

We arrived at Blanc right at seven. Blanc was a trendy gourmet restaurant, but its image was the whole hole in the wall, ramshackle dump. Its “undiscovered cool” look was a magnet for tourists and hipsters, and for locals, it was the place to see and be seen.

The building was a white dilapidated shack with peeling paint, and a cobblestone walkway led into a dining area no bigger than a small house. But one of Blanc’s most popular attractions was the front patio. The tiny area had bistro tables with a stunning front row view of the stately Red Rocks.

At night, the buttes appear to glow orange, and the restaurant had intimate outdoor lighting that could make the evening meal feel magical. I did a lot of business lunches here, so the date night appeal kind of lost its flavor for me. But I had heard of more than one marriage proposal happening here.

The patio was full tonight, and the atmosphere was electric with the palpable anticipation of two dozen couples all rolling the dice to get laid. I put my arm around Vicki. I had to admit, the green dress was the right choice, tight and form fitting around her sexy curves. She suddenly started laughing as we walked up the steps.

“Are you checking out my ass?” she asked.

I laughed because I hadn’t even realized I was staring. “I think Matt Chelmi had the wrong sister. You’re the Pippa Middleton of Sedona.”

She did just the tiniest little hip shake, but in the chapel of the Blanc, it was akin to a full out twerk. I laughed, as we stepped inside.

The inside of Blanc was a small crowded room with wood floors, and waitstaff in crisp white suits and cummberbunds bustling about white linened tables.

A piano had been added since the last time I was here, and tonight, they had a live musician doing instrumental Billy Joel. We stood and listened for a few minutes, and he was actually quite good. We spotted Julianna and Gabriel at a corner table and joined them.

“Hi,” I smiled as I took a seat. “How are you guys doing?”

“A night out will do us good,” Julianna said as she rubbed Gabriel’s shoulder. Gabriel smiled. They both looked like their spirits were higher than I had seen them yet. Now that Julianna was a bit happier, I could see who she had become as an adult.

She had grown into a gypsy. Tonight, she wore a long flowing maxi dress in blue and white floral. Her red hair flowed in long waves down her back, pinned at the sides with flower clips. Silver dangly earrings peeked out with every move she made and had a floral piece headband across her forehead. Even Gabriel seemed a little cartoonish, in a ruffled pirate looking shirt, and some sort of brown slacks.

“This place wasn’t here when we were kids,” Julianna remarked to me.

“No,” I said. “It’s one of our favorites, now.”

“Love the view,” she said. “It’s such a change after Brooklyn.”

I laughed. “I know the feeling.”

Vicki smiled and asked Julianna, “How are you liking being back in Sedona? I mean, besides the whole murder thing.”

We all laughed.

“Besides the whole murder thing,” she said. “It’s been refreshing. We’ve gone on bike rides and hiking, and then we’ve been to the Million Dollar Theatre.”

“Ah, yes,” I said, and Vicki nodded.

“They’re restoring that,” Vicki told her. “Henry’s brother did a film screen there not too long ago.”

The waitress came by and took our order.

“How is Phoenix?” Julianna asked after