Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates (distant reading .txt) 📗

“Anyone we know of. The person who sent him the note knew.”

“Yes, our mysterious sender of notes. The person who lured Rich to Jake’s with a computer-printed note has to be the same person who left that warning on the door for me. Who writes out notes anymore these days? He—or she—could have sent me a threatening text. He or she obviously has my number.”

“Far more dramatic this way. A warning nailed to your front door. But that brings up a question.” He gestured to the list. “Who among these people has your number?”

I thought about that. “Hard to say. Mom obviously does, and she could have given it to someone. Ricky does. I’m still on the same phone plan I had in Boston. If Ricky has it, then Evangeline might. And Evangeline might have given it to anyone at all. Anyone except Gordon Frankland. That probably destroys your hope that it’s him.”

“Not necessarily. I’m sure he has ways of finding things out.” Connor rubbed the thumb and index finger of his right hand together in the universal signal for a payoff.

“The note asked Rich to meet the sender at Jake’s, but as for why Rich was in Nags Head in the first place … Ricky said his dad came to OBX about once every year. Supposedly to go fishing with clients. I wonder …”

“If that’s true?”

“If he was fishing with clients, he didn’t bring any of his partners or associates with him. He didn’t even bring his son. I suppose I could ask every charter fishing outfit in a hundred-mile radius if they’ve ever been hired by Rich Lewiston, but that would take a heck of a lot more resources than I have.”

“Seeing as how you’re a librarian simply engaged in a mental exercise.”

“That reminds me. Evangeline’s been to the Outer Banks several times over the years, although she denied it at first. I wonder if she followed Rich here. Was she checking up on him?”

“If you want to know the answer to that, Lucy, you’re going to have to come straight out and ask her.”

I pulled out my phone. Connor plucked it out of my hand. “It’s two AM, Lucy. Not a good time to be calling anyone.”

I squinted at the time on the display. “Oh. So it is. I suppose it can wait until tomorrow.”

“I’d rather you didn’t pursue this at all, but there’s no stopping you sometimes.”

“Don’t you want to get at the truth?”

“Of course I do. But not if it puts you in danger.” He stroked my feet.

I wiggled my toes in pleasure. “If someone meant to do me harm tonight, Connor, they would have.” I wasn’t feeling quite as brave as I was trying to make it sound, but the questions were in my head, and even if I wanted to, I couldn’t get rid of them.

The questions were in Connor’s head too. “Maybe Evangeline came to see this Leon Lions?”

“It’s possible, but her attitude toward him doesn’t suggest they’ve been conducting an illicit affair. Not currently, anyway. Clearly, he adores her, but equally clearly, the feelings are not returned. I mean, she seems to enjoy his company, but I don’t sense any grand passion. Then again, Evangeline isn’t the most demonstrative of women.” I yawned.

Beside me, Charles yawned. Fluffy rolled over and yawned. Connor stood up. He held out his hand to me. “Let’s go to bed. Maybe some of this will be clearer in the morning.”

It wasn’t.

As soon as I woke, I checked my phone for messages. Sam Watson had texted to tell me they’d found nothing out of the ordinary inside the library or upstairs; I could go home whenever I wanted, and the library could open for the day.

I smelled coffee and padded into the kitchen to find Connor dressed for the office and making breakfast. He turned with a smile when he heard my footsteps and crossed the room to give me a kiss on the top of my head. He smelled of good soap, and his hair was damp from the shower. “You slept well. I was worried you wouldn’t.”

“If you know that, then you didn’t sleep well.”

“No.” He reached for the coffeemaker and poured me a cup. Charles and Fluffy watched us from the floor. “I’ve been up for a long time. I couldn’t stop thinking about your list.”

“Oh yes, the list.”

Connor went to the fridge and got out eggs, butter, cheese, and a fresh loaf of wheat bread from Josie’s bakery. Fluffy and Charles sat to attention when the fridge door opened. I leaned against the counter and sipped my coffee and watched him work. Nothing nicer than watching a man cook you breakfast.

“I should take the dog out,” I said.

“I put her out for a quick moment, but she’ll need a walk.” Connor dropped a spoonful of butter into a frying pan, cracked eggs into a bowl, and added a splash of milk. While the butter heated, he grated cheese and sliced a green onion. “I haven’t fed her, though. Her or Charles. I didn’t know how much to give them.”

I took care of that while Connor cooked the eggs and made the toast.

I ate my eggs and smiled at him across the table. “I think I’m going to like being married to you, Connor McNeil. Are you going to make me breakfast every morning?”

“No. I expect you to wait on me hand and foot like a devoted wife should.”

I laughed. “You keep on expecting that.”

Charles leapt onto the table in front of Connor and hissed. Connor jerked back and lifted his hands in protection. “Whoa there. I didn’t mean it.”

“Do you want Charles to come and live with us?” I asked.

Connor eyed the big cat. “Do you want to come and live with us, buddy?”

Charles turned his head and looked at me.

“If you do,” Connor said, “you can’t be jumping onto the table.”

Charles leapt down.

Connor and I stared at him.

“I think he answered you,” I said at last.

“I think he