Perhaps it was Ming’s addressing me informally; perhaps it was the implications of her wanting to sleep under the same roof. But the Asian beauty’s request clearly set Brandy off, her mood swing threatening my anticipated bout of make-up sex.

I scrambled to neutralize the brewing storm. “I think the north wing has a few rooms open, but we’re not serving food. Are you sure you wouldn’t be more comfortable in the village?”

“And miss out on this view? No, we’ll stay here. Besides, I’m sure Ben would love to speak with you about his undersea work. You two have so much in common. Ben?”

Ben finished the last of his drink. “Maybe later. Right now I think Dr. Wallace would rather be with his wife.”

Like I said, a kindred soul.

“Go downstairs to the check-in desk. True will meet you there.”

My brother-in-law and best friend, Finlay “True” MacDonald, was a gentle giant, carrying two hundred and sixty pounds on his six-foot-five-inch frame. He kept his beard short and his auburn hair long and in a ponytail. You could kid him about it unless he was drunk, which he was a lot these days. My father had hired the big fella as his hotel manager, but the lack of business had added handyman, electrician, plumber, lord of the laundry, and groundskeeper to his job description. True didn’t mind, he lived rent-free and always had a clean room in which to bed his women, most of whom he met “interviewing” for summer housekeeping jobs.

Entering the lobby, he greeted Liao like a hungry tiger. “So, Zachary tells me ye’ll be spending the night. Don’t get many visitors this time o’ year, and none that look as good as you. The name’s Finlay, but my friends call me True. How many rooms then, Miss… ?”

“Liao. Four rooms, non-smoking. I assume you accept credit cards?”

“Aye, but ye’ll be needing tae eat, and most of the places in the village only take cash. It’s a fair walk intae town, but I can drive ye.”

“That would be nice.”

“My pleasure. Fiddler’s serves the best haggis and tatties this side o’ the Ness. Your friends can drink in the café while you and me sit in the backroom and get tae ken one another.”

Liao ignored True’s attempt at romance. “Fiddler’s sounds fine. Make the reservations for four. Oh, and could you arrange for Angus Wallace to meet us there?”

“Angus? Whit do ye want with that old buzzard?”

“Please tell him I have a business proposition to discuss.”