“And the Grunwald boys disappeared and Bertie went back to being dead.”
“Except for Günter,” Riley said. “He was rewarded with a clean record and temporary stewardship of the firm of Blane-Grunwald.”
“Are you going to work for him?” Myra asked.
“I haven’t decided.”
Vernon walked in and took a handful of cookies from the cookie jar.
“Hey, Rye,” he said. “You’re looking pretty today. Did you see the new RV Emerson got me? It’s totally sweet. Got a shower and everything in it. It’s even got my name embroidered on the bedspread. The old Redhawk was an okay babe magnet, but this one’s a killer.”
“What happened to the old Redhawk?” Riley asked him.
“I gave it to Andy, since his got sort of beat up and abandoned.”
Riley ate a cookie and looked at her watch. “Emerson said he’d meet me here an hour ago. Where the heck is he?”
“You know Emmie,” Myra said. “He runs on Emerson time.”
“I saw him a while back,” Vernon said. “He was in the greenhouse talking to that yogi guy.”
Riley took one last cookie and went to the conservatory. She wandered along the overgrown paths, keeping a watchful eye out for snakes and spiders, finally stumbling into Emerson. He was sitting cross-legged by a small lily pond. He saw her and rose.
“You’re an hour late,” he said to Riley.
“I was waiting for you at the house.”
“Yes, but I’m not at the house.”
“How was I supposed to know that?”
“I’m sure I told you,” Emerson said.
“No.”
“Well, it’s insignificant because here you are and here I am.”
Riley supposed that was true.
“I have a business proposition for you,” Emerson said. “I’ve decided that we should be a team and embark on a great adventure.”
“What adventure would that be?”
“I don’t know. That’s what makes it an adventure. It will involve detective work. I think we’re very good at doing detective work.”
“We’re terrible at detective work. We almost died!”
“Yes, that part was exhilarating.”
“You must still have a concussion.”
Emerson touched the back of his head. “Perhaps, but I feel fine.”
“I’ll have to think about it.”
“There’s nothing to think about,” Emerson said. “It’s the chance of a lifetime.”
“Would I get paid?”