Free Almost Forever by Kathy Clark

grapes on the vines. And I love the intricacies of winemaking. We modernized some of the steps, but mostly it’s still done the good old-fashioned way.”
    “I went on a brief tour last Saturday, but I think I’d rather have you as my guide.”
    Lori smiled. “Sure, just drop by, and I’ll show you how it’s done. We’re crushing now, so we’re pretty busy.”
    “You don’t actually work in the winery, do you?” he asked between bites.
    “I have. But I have an excellent manager who I let handle the production.”
    “I meant to ask you about your employees. How many are there?”
    “Two full time in the winery, three in the restaurant, and a bartender in the tasting room. During peak times we also hire about a dozen extras.”
    “Were any of them here when Mark was alive?”
    “There wasn’t a restaurant then, and I think Raúl is the last one left. Oh, and his sister, Raquel. You met her today in the restaurant. She’s a server and helps out in the kitchen.”
    “I’ll need to interview them.”
    “No problem. They live on the premises, so they’re almost always here, unless they’ve run into town on an errand.” She was disappointed that the conversation had turned back to the investigation. For a moment there, she had been able to enjoy a meal in the company of an attractive man.
    He too seemed uncomfortable that the case had interfered with a pleasant evening. He immediately changed the subject back to their families, and they spent the rest of dinner sharing stories, he about his eccentric grandmother and she about the love of her life, Mackenzie.
    Finally, Justin pushed his plate away. “I’m stuffed. I haven’t had lasagna that good in…well, maybe ever. Where did you learn to cook like that?”
    “Mark’s grandmother was born in Italy. She couldn’t speak much English, but she showed me how to cook real Italian food. I use her recipes in the restaurant.”
    He picked up his plate and hers, carried them to the sink, and started to rinse them off.
    “Don’t bother with those. I can do them later. More wine?” she asked.
    “No, one’s my limit when I have to drive home.”
    Too bad he can’t spend the night.
Lori shook her head. Where had that thought come from? Jeez, she needed to spend some quality time with her vibrator tonight before she said something that would embarrass her. The last thing she wanted to do was stand next to him and wash the dishes, but she also didn’t think it was appropriate for him to do all the work. She put the wine and dressing back into the refrigerator, then opened the dishwasher.
    “You don’t have to rinse them off. Just load ’em up,” she offered, eager to hurry him along. “But really, I can finish up here. You have a long drive back to Austin.”
    “I can’t leave you with a sink full of dirty dishes. That wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me.”
    And Lori suspected that Justin was always a gentleman. Shit!
    They finished cleaning up, again working well as a team. As Lori put the last glass away, Justin wiped his hands and hung the towel on a hook.
    “I guess I’d better get going,” he said. “Thanks for the meal.”
    “Thanks for not making me eat alone,” she answered sincerely. Somehow since she knew Mark was dead, the house seemed bigger and emptier when her daughter was gone. There were creaks and thumps she’d never noticed before. It was as if once Mark’s bones were relocated, his spirit had moved into the house. She didn’t really believe in ghosts. On the other hand, the last thing she wanted was to find out they existed by meeting one in the hallway.
    Justin took his gun off the refrigerator and reholstered it. “An official report will be issued, probably tomorrow, by the ME, so it will likely hit the newspapers on Wednesday. You’re going to be inundated with reporters this week. I wouldn’t recommend you talk to them just yet. Do you have anyone to hold them back?”
    She exhaled a deep breath. “Wow, good point.