Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 114820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
He took the ivory cloth napkin that was on the tray, draped it on his thigh, but before he dug in, he said, “Most obliged.”
She dipped her chin.
He dipped his sandwich.
She spoke while he took a bite.
“If you wish to come back up here, I can sort interviews for you in my office with staff. If you want, I can make myself available while you speak to them. I think they’ll be more comfortable here and it’ll be easier for you than traipsing all over Misted Pines. Tell me a time you want to begin, and I’ll handle it.”
She was right, even though this was a trek, having interviews scheduled would save time. Further, he’d normally ask them to come to the station, which always set people on edge. Last, being in a safe space, without him invading their homes, was definitely a better option.
She was also wheedling her way into his investigation, which he would allow her to do because it served his purpose.
He and Moran would hit the mother and brother in the morning.
Which meant…
“Tomorrow,” he said. “Beginning with the top of the list you gave me, starting at one o’clock. I have to warn you, though, this will depend on if we have any other leads we need to follow.”
She nodded and picked up her phone.
He ate while she texted.
He spoke when she put the phone down.
“Where’s your theater?”
“The basement.”
Mystery solved.
“Have you spoken to Melanie yet?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“I want Brittanie,” she announced.
He did a slow blink. “Pardon?”
“Melanie won’t have the money to pay for anything fitting, and she didn’t know her daughter. She couldn’t begin to know what Britt would want. So, when she’s released, I want Brittanie.”
Jesus Christ.
One could say with that, compartmentalization was out the fucking window.
“I’m sure you understand I can’t do that,” he said carefully. “She’ll be released to next of kin.”
Lucinda looked out at the darkening damp.
The rain had subsided, but the clouds hadn’t gone away. It was September, the day was waning.
What was outside was now the mood in her office.
“Lucinda,” he called gently.
Her gaze cut to him. “Please, do what you can?”
He nodded. “I’ll talk to Moran. We’ll see what we can do.”
She drummed her fingers on her desk again.
He watched her openly while he ate.
She was right, the sandwich was superb, though it was a shocker, the potato chips might have been the best thing on the plate.
He was washing it down with sparkling water that he’d put both the lemon and lime in when he broached it.
“I don’t know how hard this is,” he said. “I’ve never had someone I cared about murdered. But I’ve been where I’m sitting too many times in my twenty years of experience, so I’m sensing you’ve held something back regarding your relationship with Brittanie.”
“You know,” was her strange reply.
“I don’t,” he returned.
“People, on the whole, but women especially have two choices in life. A walk-on part in the war, or a lead role in a cage.”
Rus felt his innards tighten.
He knew those words.
They were hopeless words.
Lucinda kept talking.
“Me, and my mother and my grandmother, for generations, have done what we could to offer another choice to the women who walked through our doors. There’s freedom in claiming domain of your agency. I’ve heard countless stories that would shock most, but not you. Brittanie’s was neither better nor worse than many others. What she was, was mine.”
Now they were getting somewhere.
So he wouldn’t spook her, Rus was back to gentle when he prompted, “How was she yours?”
“On occasion, she babysat my daughter.”
Well…
Shit.
He’d been right, but damned if he wasn’t ticked about it.
Therefore, it was not gentle, but irritated, when he said, “Lucinda, these are things I need to know.”
“I wasn’t ready to share.”
“I can’t wait for you to share. You said your relationship with her happened in these walls.”
“That relationship wasn’t mine. It was Madden’s.”
Right.
Now he was getting pissed.
“That’s bullshit,” he clipped. “It’s also a distinction you don’t get to make, and you know it. I make those decisions.”
Her mouth tightened.
She untightened it to hand him more bullshit.
“The walls it happened in were in my home, which is down the valley, and I’ve always considered it part of the whole of Bon Amie.”
“You know this is too important for you to play word games with me, and definitely too important for you to use those games to lie to me.”
Her jaw bulged as she clenched her teeth.
She knew.
He swung his arm behind him and stabbed a finger at the door.
“That’s your kingdom, Lucinda. You don’t get to decide on me. Brittanie was yours, but whether you approve or not, she’s now mine.”
“You’re right,” she said tersely.
“I know,” he fired back.
She glared at him, and there was sulk in that glare. Seeing it, it was a relief she could be human, and it was a turn-on to know she had some latent cuteness.