‘Sorry to interrupt but I let Rosie know you’d arrived and she asked if you would stay for dinner?’

‘Oh, thanks for the invite. Maybe next time? I promised Andie I’d make her and Travis dinner later tonight for their anniversary and I don’t want to keep his car too long in case he needs it.’ The lie slipped easily out of my mouth. I wasn’t sure where that had come from. ‘Travis loves my lasagna, so …’

Cris nodded. ‘Rose will be disappointed but there’s always next time. Why don’t I make some coffee? We can have a cup while we wait for Rosie, before you have to head off again.’

‘Actually, I was wondering if you’ve found anything else of my mother’s in Frank’s boxes? The photos and the locket are so great but they’ve just made me want to know even more about her life.’

‘I haven’t really had a chance to go through more of the boxes since your last visit but we can head up there now and take a gander.’

I smiled politely and followed him over to the stairs, wondering how I was going to search effectively with him in the room. It would have been so much easier to fly under the radar if it had been Rosie. Just as he was about to step up, his cell phone rang. He pulled it out and answered, nodding at the frantic voice on the other end of the line before turning to me. He covered the phone speaker with his other hand.

‘Sorry, I have to take this. The Fleschers’ cat just had a seizure and Mrs. Flescher is upset. Go on up and I’ll join you when I’m done here.’