Eli had shared the most basic facts about the case, so Vivien knew a little about what Peter was working on.
“So, he’s a Pensacola resident—a salesman, right?” Vivien asked. “And he came here for a long weekend, never went home, and his car was here. That’s it? And his family reported him missing?”
“His ex-wife,” he said. “But only because he hasn’t paid alimony, which could be why he’s missing.”
“Huh.” She winced, thinking of other reasons he might have disappeared. “Could he be…you know?”
“Yeah,” he said, understanding the question. “But no body and no sign of foul play and no motive.”
“No other family or boss pushing to find him?”
“No one except the ex seems too concerned. Apparently, he’s a loner type who likes to travel, but the abandoned car is strange. He’s missed a few appointments and his cell phone is off; no record of use for a long time.”
“Don’t they say the spouse is always under suspicion, or have I watched too many Lifetime movies?”
He smiled. “They’re freakishly accurate,” he said. “She doesn’t really have a motive—their divorce was amicable.”
She rolled her eyes. “I believe a wise man once told me there really is no such thing.”
“I believe that wise man was me,” he acknowledged. “Maybe a tad bitter from all I’ve seen. But, anyway, we’ll figure it out.”
They ordered dinners, chatted about the restaurant and how the whole HarborWalk scene hadn’t existed when they were kids, sipping their wine.
“So tell me about this client you’ve reeled in, Vivien,” he said. “Pretty impressive to start a business from scratch in a whole new town.”
“Well, having Eli and my mother hand me the job to stage the Summer House was a huge boost. Then Tessa coordinated a party and her client’s wife introduced me to Fiona, my client.”
“Who gave you an outdoor shower as a test of your skills.”
She rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t her,” she said. “It was the incompetent handyman who had no idea where to point a sprinkler system. Why a woman with that much money couldn’t hire someone a little more skilled is beyond me.”
“Maybe she’s difficult to work with and that’s all she could get.”
Vivien’s jaw loosened and she pointed at him playfully. “Right on, Detective McCarthy. She is not an easy client.”
“Tell me about her.” He seemed genuinely interested, which she appreciated.
“She’s a wealthy widow and her husband owned one of the biggest property management firms in Destin. She’s running it now. She bought a big eighties-built faux Victorian in Indian Bayou and wants to do horrible things to it.”
He drew back, laughing. “Sounds criminal.”
“It is! She wants to take this house—which is admittedly in desperate need of an update and renovation—and turn it into some kind of soulless box of white and gray…nothingness. It won’t be easy to design.”
“And you have to do exactly what she wants?”
She angled her head. “To a point. Obviously, she holds the checkbook, but I’m hoping to introduce some colors and textures, and possibly put a little life into the place. She wants to strip out some really nice wood accents, too.”
Peter studied her, a glimmer of interest and admiration in his dark brown eyes. “I guarantee you’ll knock it out of the park.”
She felt her cheeks warm slightly at the flattery. “Thank you. It’s really a huge opportunity that can lead to more business. That’s important because my ex isn’t going to send me any clients or projects like he promised.”
Peter nodded thoughtfully, both of them quiet while their dinners were served, filling the air with the delicious aroma of grilled seafood.
“So I guess I owe you an apology,” he said as they began to eat.
“For what?” She held her fork without taking a bite, unable to imagine what he could apologize for.
“Oh, you know.”
