Upon Daphne seeing her car skirt away on the TV news, the soup on the spoon that had been suspended in mid-air dribbled down the front of her shirt.
“Fuckety fuck,” she said in an exasperated whisper.
The blond co-anchor added, “Mmm. Let’s hope someone recognizes this heartless thief’s car and notifies Madison police at the number on your screen.”
“Heartless thief?” She hit rewind on the remote to see if she could make out her face.
Suddenly, Daphne’s phone rang, and Sophie’s name and number appeared on her television caller ID.
“Please tell me it’s just a coincidence you found the same kind of lamp that’s been stolen,” Sophie said before Daphne could utter the word hello.
“Of course it isn’t a coincidence, Sophie. That’s my car.” She jumped up and began pacing her living room. “Did you see my face? Can you read my license plate?”
“No, no, honey. Calm down. Just the car, and that’s a popular color.”
“What am I going to do?” Daphne’s stomach felt like it was twisting inside out.
“Call the police department before somebody else does,” Sophie said.
“No way,” she said, her voice cracking. “They’ll arrest me for theft. I was just trash picking. I didn’t know it was somebody’s actual stuff. It was all piled up at the edge of the driveway, like everyone else’s on that street.”
“I know it,” Sophie said. “Just explain all that to the police.”
“What if they don’t believe it was an accident? They’ll think I took it and that I’m scamming the woman for the reward.”
“Don’t take the reward, dummy,” Sophie said. “It was an honest mistake. The woman isn’t out for blood. She just wants her lamp back.”
“Ugh. I feel like such a jerk. Maybe I can just drop it off on her porch and go. I really don’t want to have to face this person.”
“I don’t blame you, but still, you better call the police and straighten it out. You don’t want them to find you first.”
Daphne sighed in dread. “Will you come to the police station with me?”
“Can I collect the reward for turning you in?”
“No, you cannot.”
“Then I’m sure I’m busy.”
“Sophie, please. This is so embarrassing. I can’t do it alone.”
“You have to stop saying you can’t do things alone, young lady. You’re a strong, grown woman.” She softened her tone. “But yes, of course I’ll go with you. I love looking at men in uniform.”
“Thank you. Okay. Let me call the police department and tell them I’ll be down with the lamp.”
She hung up and sighed again as she looked at the lamp she’d grown to love during the last two days—just not enough to go to jail over it.
Chapter Four
The next day after work, Daphne picked up the lamp at her house, and Sophie and she headed to the police department, eager to complete her dreaded mission. She pulled into the parking lot and looked over at Sophie in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead with her hands folded in her lap. “You take it in.”
Sophie scowled at her as she hugged her handbag close to her chest. “Me? No, sir. You swiped it. You take it in.”
“But you said you love looking at men in uniform. The place is crawling with them. Just walk in there, drop it off, get an eyeful, and come back out.”
Sophie shook her head. “I’ll gladly walk in with you for my eyeful, but I’m not taking the rap for this. Oh, no. They’ll think I’ve lost my marbles, call my son, and he’ll lock me in an assisted-living facility.”
A wave of panic swept over Daphne. “What do you mean, ‘the rap’? You said it was a simple misunderstanding, and I have nothing to worry about.”
“That’s if they believe your story.”
She studied Sophie’s exaggerated, worried expression. Was she pulling her leg like she was known to do? “C’mon. You’re a cute little old lady who can barely see over the steering wheel. They’d never even question whether you’re telling the truth.”
Sophie threw her hands up. “All right, already. Jeez, you’re a baby, Daphne.”
Daphne grinned and then ran around the car to help Sophie out. After carefully taking the lamp from the backseat, she stepped aside for Sophie to go first.
They approached the counter, but Daphne’s sneakers squeaked to a stop as the attractive woman from the news story walked toward her, a young boy tagging along at her side. She was even more attractive in person.
“Oh, thank God,” the woman said breathily. She extended one hand to shake Daphne’s as she took the lamp in the other. “I’m Nina Colombo. Thank you so much for returning this.”
“Yeah, of course. I’m sorry I…uh…I mean it was a total accident. I just thought—”
“No need to apologize,” Nina said. “I’m just so glad to have it back.”
Daphne cringed as she stammered in front of this beautiful woman. “But I really didn’t intend to steal it. I thought you’d put it out for the bulk-trash pickup, like the other people on your street do this time of year.”
“I can totally see how you thought that,” Nina said. “The movers deposited everything at the edge of my driveway because I didn’t move my car out of the way for their truck.” She smiled, and the little dimple in one corner of her mouth mesmerized Daphne. “So who should I make out the reward check to?”
Sophie elbowed Daphne out of her enchanted stare.
“Oh, uh, my name is Daphne, but I can’t accept the reward. It was my mistake. I should’ve known anybody in their right mind wouldn’t have put that out as trash.”
“Are you sure?” Nina said. “I’d like to compensate you for taking time out of your busy schedule.”
“I’m never that busy.” Daphne regretted her words as soon as she heard them. “I’m happy that it’s back in the hands of someone who truly loves it.”
“Aww, that’s really sweet.”
“She’ll take your telephone number, though,” Sophie said, inserting herself between them.
Nina looked as surprised as Daphne felt, although not nearly as mortified.
“What?” Sophie said innocently to Daphne. “You’re both obviously interested in antiques. This nice lady is new to the area and maybe wants to make friends so…”
“This is my friend with no filter, Sophie.” Daphne glided in front of her to thwart any further embarrassing suggestions.
Nina smiled and tilted her head to look around Daphne. “That’s true, Sophie. I am new here and do like antiquing.”
Sophie gave Daphne an I told you so shrug. “That’s all I’m saying.”
“Well, I’m what you might call an antique aficionado of sorts.” Daphne tried to sound cool but only made herself cringe even more. “Uh, anyway, I’d like it if you wanted to get together sometime to go antiquing.” She looked down, anguishing over what was an appropriate length of eye contact to the non-awkward.