While Lorne and I ate, we examined what we knew about Zack's and Dalliance, and we soon saw parallels with three other restaurants – Nuance, La Luce and Bistro du Midi – all of them renamed reincarnations of failed places.

"And all of them relaunched by Promot-Ink." Lorne tilted his head. "Hmmm! Do you think Cynthia's involved with them?"

I paused a bite short of my mouth and shook my head. "No, she's far too successful to slip to the sleazy side. They likely used her because she's the best in the business."

"Possibly, Kate. But greed can do strange things to some people. They may have offered her a cut of the profits."

"Hmmm! Yeah, wise to avoid her." I shrugged. "But Nathan always handled her invitations, never me, so that'll be easy."

"Does she know you write reviews?"

"No, only the novels – she's a loyal fan – has all eleven of them. That's the reason she always includes –" I winced. "Included me as Nathan's guest."

Lorne nodded as he tilted the box and forked more shrimp fried rice onto his plate. "So besides me and Nathan, who else was aware you write the column and the blog?"

"My editor at the Courier, but only about the reviews there, not about my VanEats blog. He loves the readership pull that the anonymity brings."

"Yeah, so few of us left, now. Most of the others have their snouts in the trough – enjoying free dining in return for publishing glowing praise."

I raised a hand to cover my mouth, replying through a not quite finished bite, "And Cynthia's media kits are filled with descriptions – the setting, the ambience, the dishes – and links to jpg images, making the bloggers' work simple."

"Yes, for them, but I never review based on promotional events or material. Always revisit at least twice before I publish."

"As I do. Usually a lunch and a dinner." I tilted my head. "But reviewing wine doesn't require that."

"True, but necessary for the Phantom Foodie blog."

I looked up from adding more pad Thai to my plate. "I love that blog. By far the best out there. Any idea who writes it?"

Lorne nodded and pointed to his chest. "I do, but I thought you knew this."

"Ooh! Can you tell me? Or had you promised them to keep it secret?"

"Hunh? Them? I've missed your meaning here, Kate."

"Hmmm. Like protecting their anonymity."

Lorne paused and tilted his head side to side as if to analyse. "Aha! I now see where you are. I thought you knew that it's my blog. With all your praise, I –"

I grabbed a handful of his curls, pulled him in, mashed my mouth onto his, and we merged in a deep kiss. A deliciously tender while later, I paused from nibbling on his bottom lip. "My foodie hero. The epitome of impartiality. The model for my column and blog."

Lorne smiled and raised his eyebrows.

"Always focused on your prominence as a wine writer – never suspected you as the Phantom Foodie." I caught his lips with my tongue, and we resumed the kiss.

A while later, as we cuddled, I asked, "Besides me now, who else knows you write that?"

"Me." He smiled and shrugged. "That's it."

"I wonder whether we can use this to unravel the Mafia's restaurant game. Unknown reviewers stirring their pot."

"Too dangerous." Lorne stroked my back. "They play a deadly game with anyone who interferes. We've seen some of that already, and it's best we leave this for the police."

"Which is what the mob wants. They're smart enough to have set this up so that they're untouchable."

Lorne blew a loud breath. "Yeah. So, what do you see?"

"Nathan said he had begun digging into the online review sites, finding suspicious patterns. Maybe we can –"

"The RCMP have a team of computer geeks to analyse suspected internet fraud, market manipulation, and so on. This is a better task for them – once we determine what they should look for."

"When Nathan mentioned it, my immediate thought had been that someone is seeding the sites with poor reviews, causing the restaurant's business to decline."

"Ummm, plausible. But not poor reviews, Kate – that's too obvious. Reviews with subtle undertones of discontent will better taint the perceptions of the gullible public. Also, they could plant some dark seeds among the concierges and inbound tour operators."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Whittle away at the restaurants' businesses while the owners and managers try to figure out what's happening and why."

We carried on with the pattern of failing restaurants for a while before we moved to examine the acquisition and rebranding; Lorne concluding a thought with, "Also, failed restaurants have a stigma attached, causing the receivers to sell them for ridiculous prices, often for little more than the salvage value of the equipment and furnishings."

I nodded. "And whoever is manipulating wouldn't be concerned by the stigma. They know damned well why it failed."

"Clever game." Lorne pursed his lips and nodded. "Then change the name and reverse their tactics – spam a steady stream of glowing reviews, bribe the concierges and tour operators with free meals."

"And manipulate the media with presentations like the ones at Zack's, La Luce, Nuance and the others."

"Indeed, but enough heavy for this evening. Let's leave it until morning." Lorne nodded toward the food on the coffee table. "Have you curbed hunger?"

For food, yes. But not for you. "Mmmm, must have. Finished eating a while ago. You?"

"Yeah." He chuckled. "Bought a lot, didn't I?"

"Good. Didn't know what I wanted. The grazing fit well."

We gazed into each other's eyes for a long while in silence until I said, "Still feel spooked, Lorne. Would you allow me to sleep with you tonight?"

"I was hoping you would ask, Kate."