She shook her head. “Her father had a massive heart attack when he was just thirty-five,” she said with a sigh. “Her mother lived on, but not happily. She lived only for Ida. When Ida was eighteen, her mother went on a cruise and fell overboard. They never found the body.”

“That would have been hard,” he conceded.

“So Ida was working for a graphics firm in Denver, right out of high school, and her boss felt sorry for her, I guess, because he married her shortly afterwards. There was gossip, they said, because of the age difference. He was very wealthy and had never been married at all.”

“Was it a happy marriage?” He hated asking. He didn’t know why he even cared.

“Well…There were some issues.”

“I heard he committed suicide.”

She nodded, looking around to make sure nobody was within earshot. “Her husband left her everything, and there was a lot. He left her a note, thanking her for being so kind to him.”

He was touched, despite his distaste for Ida.

“Maybe she’s not all bad.”

“Nobody is all bad, Mr. McGuire,” she replied. “Some people have worse lives than others, is all.”

He shrugged. “Seems so.”

She smiled gently. “You still missing Mina?”

He smiled back. “A little. But she and Cort and the baby are happy in Texas. I’m glad for them. I keep in touch with them through her dad, who’s managing their family ranch outside town.”

“You’re a good loser.”

“Not much choice about that,” he replied. His pale silver eyes were sad. “You can’t make people love you.”

“Isn’t it the truth?” she agreed.

* * *

He went out to get into his car and spotted Ida standing by her Jaguar with her cell phone to her ear. The Jag had a flat tire.

“Yes,” she said wearily. “Yes, I know, but it’s going to take two hours to get somebody out here, and I have to be at the doctor’s by two!”

Jake paused beside the car.

She stared at him, surprised.

“I can run you to the doctor. Leave the key with Cindy Bates, inside, and tell whoever you’re talking to where they’ll be. Have him lock the car and give the key back to Cindy when he’s done.”

She was just standing there, surprised at how easily he organized things. A voice was coming over the smart phone.

“Oh, sorry,” she said into the receiver. “Listen, I’ve had the offer of a ride. I’ll leave the key inside the café with Cindy. She can give it to you and you can hand it back to her when you finish. That work? Great. Thanks so much. I’m really sorry…of course. Thanks.”

She hung up. She glanced at Jake warily. “You’re sure it’s not out of your way?”

He shook his head. “Give me the key.”

She handed it to him. He gestured to a red Mercedes and used his own smart key to unlock it. “Go ahead and get in. I won’t be a minute.”