“That’s my dad,” Nico said. “I’ll be right back.”
Megan waited until Nico was gone before she asked, “So who do you think might have taken Nico and Henry’s vines?”
“I have no idea. What a mess, right?” Frank shook his head. “You know, Nico’s dad wasn’t too sure about that whole business with the new vines at the beginning. I guess that’s what he told my pop. But then once the opportunity was gone, you’d think it was Uncle Phil’s idea. And when they heard about the blood and everything… Horrified. Uncle Phil was horrified. Fairfield was bad enough last year. We’ve never had anything violent happen on our farms before.”
Was violence attracted to psychic energy? That was a depressing thought.
“So Phil, that’s Nico’s dad?”
“Yeah. And my dad, and Toni’s, is Bobby. He’s the oldest, but Phil is right behind him. Then there’s Gina, our aunt, and then the youngest brother, Martin. And then all the cousins and stuff related from that.”
“Good Lord, how do you remember them all?”
“Honestly?” Frank crossed his arms. “I don’t really. I mean, I remember my kids most of the time. I’ll be able to remember Toni’s ’cause she just has the one. And I remember Luna’s. Anything beyond that… it’s a fifty-fifty chance.”
Megan smiled. “You’re joking.”
“Only a little.” Frank nodded at Nico. “You know, your boss there— Oh, but he said you’re on your own now, yeah?”
Megan nodded. “I am. He’s backing me starting my own events company. I’ll have business cards by next week.”
“That’s fantastic.” Frank slapped her shoulder. “Jackie’ll end up calling you, I know it. She’s too busy in the office these days—she doesn’t have time to plan the company parties and all that stuff anymore. Not a good use of her time.”
“Well, it’ll be right up my alley. Just tell her to give me a call.” Megan racked her brain, trying to figure out a way to steer the conversation back to the vines. “So does your dad have much to do with the winery? Or is that mostly Nico and his dad?”
“It’s mostly them, but we do have a few younger cousins who are coming up and they’re into wine. Most of them are still in college though. One has an internship up in Oregon at a winery there.”
“But the cousins around your age, it’s pretty much just Nico in the wine business?”
“Well… mostly.” Frank crossed his arms. “Most of the cousins our age are still in vegetable farming. Couple in the dairy business. But one of Gina’s boys got really into the marketing stuff with her restaurants. He’s worked at a few different food and wine venues around the Cove. That’s Kellan. He never seems to settle into a job though, you know? One of those guys who’s always looking for the next big thing.”
Everything about this cousin pinged as sketchy on Megan’s radar. “So what’s he doing now?”
“You know, he was talking with Nico about something not too long ago. Something about Italian versus French wines… I don’t know. Not really my department, you know?” He lifted his beer. “I like wine. I like beer. I don’t much care where they come from as long as they’re local.”
“Did Kellan stay local?”
“Yep.” Frank nodded. “He’s at Coral Canyon right now.”
“Oh really? I like Coral Canyon.” It was a pretty winery, and it had been on Nico’s list of possible suspects. They also had one of the highest limestone soil contents that Katherine had found in her survey. “I was just out there last week.”
“It’s a pretty place,” Frank said. “You know, it’s got a real unusual microclimate. They used to grow the sweetest cherries there until the farm was bought out and they planted grapes.”
“They do a really nice pinot noir, right?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that.”
“Interesting.” Megan nodded. “And your cousin Kellan works there?”
“Oh yeah, for now. If he and Nico got along better, he’d probably be working for Dusi Heritage.”
“They don’t get along?”
Frank shrugged. “Eh, you know Nico. He’s a straight arrow. Works his ass off. Kellan likes to go with the flow a little more, if you know what I mean.” Frank smiled. “He’s a good guy, but he’s kinda immature.”
“How old is he?”
“Early thirties? Somewhere around there. He’s on the younger side.”
“Still…” Megan took a sip of cider. “Kind of old to be always going with the flow, right?”
“Now you sound like Nico.”
“Don’t make me hurt you, Frank. You know Toni would help.”
He laughed, and Megan smiled to disguise the churning thoughts the conversation had provoked.
So Nico had a cousin who was interested in wine, and could have—in theory—wrangled information out of either Toni’s dad or Nico’s father about the Poulsard vines.
Megan waved goodbye to Frank, who was ready to join another game of horseshoes with the Dusi cousins calling his name. Was Kellan with them? Looking at the mass of people wandering around the yard, there was no way of knowing.
Megan wondered what Toni thought of her cousin Kellan. Did he know enough to plan a vine heist? Did he know what he was doing planting grapevines, or did he just think he knew enough? More importantly, did he have the stomach for violence?
Whatever the case might be, Megan needed to get Toni and Katherine together so they could find Cousin Kellan and ask him a few questions. She texted both of them to see if they were still around.
She was watching her phone for a response when she heard someone sit beside her. She looked up and saw Nico with his legs sprawled out.
“Hey.” Megan smiled. “You finish counting our winnings?”
“Our winnings?” He nodded. “Why don’t we split that up right after you tell me what you and Frank were talking about?” Nico’s eyes cut toward her.
Uh-oh. The man did not look pleased.
Megan set her cider down and leaned toward him. “You hired me to investigate this theft. I gotta ask questions.”
“Not about my family.” His jaw was set.
“Nico, if one of them was involved—”
“You know what?” He rose and took Megan’s hand, dragging her to her feet. “Why don’t we go get your jacket? You look cold.” He linked their hands and pressed them against his hip as he leaned down. “And then we can chat a little bit about how you go about questioning my family.”
Chapter 13
Megan tugged her hand away from Nico as soon as they were away from the crush of people in the backyard. “I don’t think so, honey. You only manhandle me when I give you permission.”
“Don’t honey me.” Nico was pissed. “Did you ask my permission to interrogate my cousin?”
“I wasn’t interrogating Frank—”
“He doesn’t even realize it because you’re so damn charming.” Nico crossed his arms over his chest. “What did he tell you? Nothing. He told you nothing because when it comes to my family, there is nothing to tell.”