Val set down her empty glass. “I’m ready for a big, juicy red, Kellan.”
He smiled. “Good deal.”
The girl getting Toni’s ginger ale returned from the back. “God, Jodie and your cousin are having the bitch session of bitch sessions.” She glanced at Toni. “You’re family, otherwise I wouldn’t say anything.” She opened the can for Toni and poured it into a wineglass.
“What are they bitching about?” Toni asked.
“Something about Fairfield Family Wines.” She handed Toni the soda. “Did Kellan tell you they’re trying to get approval to build a shopping center on their property?”
“What?” Toni asked. “They want to put shops out in the middle of wine country?”
“Yeah, and not just like a little restaurant or something,” Erin said. “Like a walking mall. Boutiques and a deli and that kind of thing.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Megan said.
Erin just shook her head and walked away.
“She’s not,” Kellan said. “Everyone’s talking about it, and Jodie’s on the board, so I’m sure she and Nico have plenty to talk about.” He poured from a bottle of red. “Okay, this is a fun variety. It’s a red blend with pinot noir, merlot, and just a touch of Malbec.”
“Kellan.”
“Yeah?” He leaned closer to Toni.
“Come here a second, will you?” She shifted her giant belly, and Kellan moved closer.
“What’s up? Are you feeling—?”
Toni grabbed his arm and brushed a thumb over his skin. “Hey, Kellan?”
“Hey.”
Megan could see the man’s eyes swim a little.
“What’s up?” His smile was sweet and full, not like the polite facade he’d worn before.
“What’s up with you?” Toni said. “You had a funny look on your face when Erin was talking about Fairfield’s shop plans.”
“Yeah, ’cause I feel bad because she offered me a job, and I think I’m going to take it.”
Megan was mentally recording every word. “What do you know about Nico’s vines, Kellan?”
“Nico’s vines? Nothing.” He shook his head. “I mean, if he had a new varietal, Jodie wouldn’t try it. She’s not a big risk-taker, you know? She plays it safe.”
“So there’s no way she’s involved in the theft?” Toni asked.
“Jodie? No way.” Kellan shook his head. “Nope. Definitely not. I heard some bad shit happened though.”
“Oh yeah? What did you hear?”
“I heard that someone got killed. That’s just…” His eyes swam a little too much.
“Toni, back off a little.”
“Trying.” She let go of Kellan for a moment and shook her hand. “My empathy is all over the place.”
Megan took Kellan’s hand so he didn’t slip away. “What did you hear about the vines?”
He frowned and blinked hard. “Um… I’m not… I guess just what everyone else did, you know?” He pulled away from Megan, looking at his hand and then staring at the wineglasses in front of him. “Did I pour you guys the pinot yet?”
“Just the blend.” Val was quick to jump in. “Is the pinot what I’m looking forward to?”
“Yeah.” Kellan was back to himself. “I guarantee you’re going to love that one.”
“Okay, first off” —Sully opened the truck door— “that is some freaky shit you do, Dusi. Don’t ever pull that on me.”
Toni was unfazed. “At least we know Kellan isn’t involved in any of this. He’s just a putz for thinking about taking the Fairfield job.”
“Why is he a putz?” Val asked. “Who’s this Fairfield person?”
Nico leaned against Henry’s truck. “The owner of Fairfield Family Wines is Angela Calvo, and she’s a problem. She inherited the winery last year—which is right across the creek from ours—and has big plans and a whole hell of a lot of money. She’s got ambitions to turn this place into another Napa Valley.”
“You know, Katherine and I had lunch with Angela, and I really don’t think she’s that bad.”
Nico stared at Megan like she’d grown a second head. “What?”
“I told you she’s dating Rodney, right? She wanted to meet me because I think she wants me to smooth things over with the kids, which I’m not going to do. That’s Rodney’s job. But she seemed pretty nice. I think she genuinely likes it here. She’s already bought the Dolphin Cove Resort, renamed it to La Delphine, and now she’s fixing it up.”
“Oh, it needed an update,” Henry said. “It was getting pretty run-down.”
“Right?” Megan looked around. “I’m just saying she might not be the devil incarnate. That’s all.”
“This woman wants to turn Moonstone Cove into Napa?” Sully stuck a toothpick in his mouth. “I thought the whole point of the Central Coast was that it wasn’t the Napa Valley.”
“Exactly,” Toni said. “But she’s quietly bought up a lot of land according to my dad. She’s going to want to do something with it other than just plant grapes.”
Nico looked at Megan. “So what did you get out of Kellan?”
“He doesn’t know anything about your vines,” she said. “Well, not more than anyone else does anyway. Rumors are flying. And then the thing about Angela offering him a job.”
“Which is interesting but probably not important.”
Henry said, “It doesn’t get us any closer to finding out who stole the Poulsard grapes. They’ve been out of the greenhouse for nearly two weeks. I’m starting to think they’re in the ground. Or dead.”
“There’s no reason to think either of those things yet,” Megan said.
“But we’ve still got zero leads.” Henry kicked a tire. “There’s got to be something else we can do.”
“I have an idea.” Megan raised her hand. “But it may take a little… creative storytelling from our favorite sheriff.”
All eyes turned to Sully. He didn’t look pleased. “I’m here to hang with my woman and watch her walk around in a bikini. I didn’t sign up to investigate some damn grapevines.” He looked at Nico. “Even if they are superspecial fancy grapevines. No offense.”
“What about a murder?” Megan walked toward him. “Someone was killed in this whole mess, and so far the police don’t even know who it is. Toni didn’t get much out of the greenhouse, but what if she could get her hands on the truck Detective Bisset found?”
Val looked at Sully. “You know I’m good with evidence.”
Sully took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Fuck.”
Chapter 18
“So when are you going to be home?” Adam asked.
Megan looked around at the small living room where Toni, Henry, Val, and Sully were gathered. Katherine and Baxter were on their way.