Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
Dinner at the compound that night was a somber affair.
Without Esmeralda and Rory, we were quiet.
A buzz sounded on Nic’s phone and he picked it up.
“They just landed at LAX. It’s a few hours drive back to South Cove, but the security team I hired has already met them and they’re waiting for their luggage.
Someone will drive Esmeralda’s car home too. ”
“It was great to see her. I asked when she thought she might be coming home, but I guess she still has work there?” I stirred my she-crab bisque absently.
“I tried to get her to come home too. And it’s not just about Crystal or any other woman who thinks they can win me over.
I just miss her. I’m ready for our lives to start.
I’d like to have kids running around this place again someday.
To be more worried about little league sign-ups than random serial killers.
” Nic pushed his nearly full soup bowl aside.
Weariness had carved lines under his eyes.
“I know we’re supposed to be working on finding this guy, but I need a minute.
I’ll meet you all in the den after dinner. ”
“I’ll bring you in a slice of candied pecan and caramel cheesecake with some coffee.” Annamae started to stand, but Betsy put a hand on her shoulder.
“I can do that Ms. Foster. You just sit and enjoy your dinner. I’ll clear the soup bowls as soon as I come back.” Betsy took Nic’s bowl with her into the kitchen to get the dessert and coffee set up for him.
Annamae waited until she was out of earshot. “I know I said I didn’t need help, but Betsy is a Godsend. She knows what I want before I do at times. And it’s given me time to think about the past and putting it to rest.”
“Franklin Day must have come to visit,” I guessed from the cheesecake.
She nodded. “He did. I didn’t know him in school. I knew of him. He got in a little trouble around moonshine running but didn’t do any jail time. Marvin thought the moon and sun set on his big brother.”
“Do you believe him about not being responsible for Mom and Dad’s death?” I asked, knowing it was the one statement that meant more to me, or to us, than anything else Franklin Day could have said.
She didn’t answer me at first. Then she looked up from her soup.
“I’m sure now that their deaths weren’t an accident.
I just don’t know where to be looking for a killer.
Especially since we have a current one right now that we need to stop.
I think we need to focus there and stop worrying about a car accident that happened over twenty years ago. ”
I nodded my head, showing my agreement with her words. Except she hadn’t really answered my question. She’d dodged it.
Tonight, after dinner, we’d sit around and rehash all the cases, taking Catherine’s kidnapping out of the equation. Maybe we’d find something we missed the first time. Or, now with more fact points, something would be clearer. And maybe I’d get a pony and keep it in the back yard. With the fairies.
Bubba might freak out about a new animal in the yard, but he did tell me I needed to be more active. So, kind of, if I did get a pony, it would be his fault.
What, it was my story and I was sticking to it. Besides, maybe having a pony would protect me from this serial killer. It could happen. He could trip over the pony while trying to sneak into my house.
Enough of the daydreaming. I needed to make a plan.
Forrest’s book would have to wait. I’d gotten a message back saying she was out of town on vacation and would call me back next week.
We had four days to get Boone what he needed to find the killer.
And then cousin Paige would get out and probably go after Heather, her aunt, for telling on her.
Whatever happened, we could get through it.
We had to. We only had each other and Boone and Alexander in this.
After dinner, we’d start reviewing what we knew.
We’d interview everyone who worked in or around the reader shops where the readers were murdered.
We’d find something to keep Paige in jail and to get leverage over this killer. We could not fail.
Heaven help us if we did.
The End