Chapter 20

Gideon pointed to the corner across the street. “There’s a diner halfway down that block that only serves breakfast and lunch. Biggest omelets you’ve ever seen. Coffee so black, it looks like tar. Guy who owned it was named…” He paused, searching for it. “Marius. He closed up at four every day because his wife worked down at the high school and that’s when she got home. He always said he worked too hard already not to be able to spend time with the one thing in his life that really mattered.”

“I never imagined you as the type to chat with local diner owners back then.” Jesse frowned. “Or now, for that matter. What happened to…Marius?”

“I don’t know. I never came back to this side of town after the fire.” They walked along several more yards before he added, “I didn’t chat. That was all Mary. She always wanted to talk to people.” Gideon turned his head and gave him a small, but warm smile. “You do that, too. It’s infuriating sometimes, but I’ve always loved that about you.”