Free One Foot in the Grape by Carlene O'Neil

visits to the winery.”
    â€œThat sounds like the Antonia I know. The good of the winery before anything else. How did you get all of this out of Stephen?”
    â€œI excel at three things: decorating, dressing and dishing the dirt. I can get anyone to talk.”
    At half past nine, the rest of the festival details were finalized. Antonia dismissed everyone with a wave of her cane and the family scattered. Todd and Hayley went out the front, Marvin left through the sliding doors and Connor remained with Antonia to discuss a new grafting technique.
    â€œYou guys wait here,” I said to Ross and Thomas. “I didn’t know what prints you needed, so I grabbed a bit of everything. I’ll be right back.”
    I walked down the front steps into the night, where Todd and Hayley stood near Connor’s truck.
    â€œI’ve got postcards for Ross and Thomas. Then I want to bring a stack of prints to the booth.”
    â€œI’ll take them down for you,” Hayley said.
    â€œDid you confirm that Marvin gave us the right booth?”
    She nodded. “Finally. At first he tried to tell me the map was preliminary, but it said ‘Final Copy’ right on the bottom. I told him not to try anything and he dropped it. I’m really not his favorite person.”
    â€œI’d be worried if you were.”
    I handed her a box then reached into the glove box, where I knew Connor kept a flashlight. “Take this. The main lights are up in the festival area, but the path down is dark.”
    Todd and Hayley started down the path that led to the fermentation building and, farther, down the hill to the festival grounds.
    I grabbed the box of postcards and returned to the library. Connor and Antonia had poured out the Cabernet. Ross handed me a glass and I took a sip.
    â€œAntonia, this is superb.”
    She nodded. “One of our best years.” She pointed to the box. “What are those?”
    â€œPostcards and small prints for the gift store. Ross and Thomas sell my work there.”
    â€œLet me see.”
    I spread out the photos by the various seasons and Antonia peered over them. “My winery seems to be one of your favorite subjects.”
    â€œIt is. It’s beautiful.” I caught her eye. “I mean it. The only winery I think is prettier is my own.”
    After I’d given several to Antonia, I boxed up the rest and grabbed Ross by the arm.
    â€œCome on, you two. I’ll walk you out.”
    *   *   *
    A short time later I stood in the night air and watched as they drove away.
    The evening fog had rolled in, a regular occurrence this close to the water. Below, in the clearing, the light from Hayley’s flashlight moved through the mist.
    As I walked back up the front steps, someone shouted. It sounded like it came from the fermentation building. I stopped to listen. Nothing. I turned back toward the house but hesitated. If someone was ruining the wines, it would need to be now, when the wine was aging in the barrels, before it was bottled. Also, it would be at this time of day, when it was unlikely that anyone would be about. All in all, this could be a pretty good opportunity for me to find something out.
    Oddly enough, the possibility that I might actually surprise someone didn’t get my feet moving. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of looking for anyone in the dark.
    The thing that got me back down the front steps and moving toward the fermentation building was Connor. He’d said getting involved was a bad idea, and I hated the thought of admitting he was right. A quick look around and I’d be out of there. I didn’t have a flashlight and picked my way along the path. The fog now rolled in drifts, moving across the ground around me.
    The heavy double doors creaked when I pushed them open. Rows of barrels loomed in the semidarkness ahead. If the goal was to surprise someone, I needed to leave the lights off. I waited