She ignored his annoyance. “Did you hear anything?”
“Only the usual.”
“And that is…?” Now annoyance was in her voice. Did she have to pull every word out of him? Antonio was quiet by nature, but the hundred-dollar bills she kept doling out to him were meant to loosen his lips.
“You know I’ve done all I can to put Wilkins on Lily Valier’s trail. Don’t worry, your dear old dad won’t go down for this. I’ve got him thinking Lily did it.”
Relief flooded her. However short-lived it might be, she was grateful for it.
“Anything else?”
“O’Rourke’s going to question Phil Kemp. You know him? The guy Sara Valier was seeing before your dad? Personally, I think it’s a waste of time. He’s innocent. Oh, and O’Rourke’s got plans with Lily for tonight. Sounds like he’s got her wrapped around his little finger.”
“I know who Phil Kemp is,” Natalie said, exasperation tingeing her voice. “I guess that’s a logical place to start.” But now the knot of worry tightened like a noose around her neck, choking her with panic. Her dad was sure to be on O’Rourke’s list, because that was the next logical step. Her only hope was her dad would be smart enough to outwit the PI.
As for Lily being wrapped around Aiden’s finger, that’d be an easy finger to get wrapped around, but what good would it do him? Phil Kemp may be innocent, but Natalie knew Lily was too.
CHAPTER 9
Aiden was bewildered. Was she confessing? He had to say something, but what? An awkward silence stretched out before them.
Lily must have noticed the shock on his face, because she spoke before he could gather his wits enough to form a question. “You might as well know. You’ll find out eventually anyway.” She watched him, seemingly for a reaction.
“You didn’t kill your sister,” he said, though it was more of a question than a statement.
Lily looked away, but Aiden put a hand under her chin and turned her back to him. “Why did you say that?”
She looked contrite and shifted uncomfortably. “Everyone in this town thinks I killed Sara. I…I wanted to see if you thought I was capable of such a horrendous thing.”
He’d have to pretend to be the devoted potential boyfriend if he was going to get more out of her. “I could never imagine you capable of killing anyone, let alone your own sister.” Aiden injected concern into his voice and looked at her tenderly.
Lily gave a wavering smile. “That means a lot.”
“This is pretty heavy stuff we’re talking about, but if I’m going to get to know you, I want to know all about you. It’ll go both ways. I’m an open book too. You can ask me anything and tell me anything.” He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Would it be OK if I asked some more questions?” For a second he wanted to cringe. Was he pushing too hard?
Lily shrugged. “It can’t hurt now. By the end of this evening you’ll either kick me out of your house or be one of my only friends.” She laughed, though he noted it was without humor.
Aiden could think of no way to soften the next question, but did manage a sympathetic expression to accompany it. One he almost felt. “How was she killed?”
“Shot.”
He was surprised by the directness of the answer but pleased. “God! I’m so sorry.” Another tender look.
Lily sighed and wrapped both hands around her plastic cup. “I might as well save you from having to ask a million questions,” she said, staring into the wine. “Sara was five months pregnant when she was murdered. Shot in the throat and bled to death. Her body was found on the kitchen floor at her house. Unfortunately, I was the last one to see her alive…and…” She hesitated as if the next few words were the hardest of all. “And, the murder weapon was more than likely my gun.” She raised her gaze to meet his. “Now can you see why I’m a suspect?”
“More than likely your gun? What does that mean?”
Lily waved a dismissive hand. “Doesn’t matter.”
Like hell it didn’t matter, he wanted to say. That gun was the missing puzzle piece to the crime. “Doesn’t the sheriff have the murder weapon?” He needed to keep her talking. How he wished he could come right out and ask if she had the gun, or knew where it was, but of course he couldn’t. Right now, he had to go along with her and act as if he believed every word.
“No.”
Damn one-word answers! Aiden’s hope was fading. “Why would the sheriff think you’d want to kill your own sister?”
A bark of laughter erupted from her. “There’s a very good reason.” She eyed him hard. “For the money. Dad left his millions to Sara. I got nothing.”
“Wow,” he said, running a hand through his hair. He contemplated asking how much money was involved and why her dad shut her out of the inheritance. Wouldn’t that be the logical follow-up? No, he decided, it would be too personal. He changed tack. “I guess I can understand why you were under suspicion, but it’s all cleared up now, right? Does the sheriff have any leads?”
Wilkins had already given him the information she’d just revealed, but somehow it was different hearing it from her. Venom colored her voice. Could Lily have actually hated her sister because of what their father did, or maybe it was a heat-of-the-moment thing? Damn it, but she was the most likely suspect. He looked at her green eyes blazing, lips pressed into a line of agitation, and let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Why was he disappointed?
“I was taken into custody and questioned. Hired a lawyer and, in the end, they only had circumstantial evidence. Not enough to charge me. But I know they still have their eyes on me. I’m innocent and there’s no goddamn way I’m going to feel uncomfortable in my own town.” She drained her glass again, and it made him think of the night he’d sicced Chrome on her and how she’d handily slammed back that Scotch. Then she added, “Besides, leaving town now would only make me look guilty.”
Lily picked up the bottle but put it back down when she saw it was empty.
Aiden stood. “I’ll open another.”
She waved a hand to indicate she’d had enough. “No, it’s OK.”
Plucking up their cups and the empty bottle, Aiden placed them on the tray. “Come keep me company in the kitchen while I get dinner ready.”
* * *
Lily sat on a stool at the counter, another plastic cup of wine in front of her. It had been some time since she’d had so much to drink, but it felt good. She needed this, needed someone she could loosen up with. “Need help with anything?” she asked from her perch.
Aiden stirred the tomato sauce that was bubbling softly in a pot, then set another filled with water on the burner next to it. “No, I’ve got everything covered. The sauce is done and all I have to do is cook the pasta.” He looked apologetic. “It’s nothing fancy.”
“Just having someone else doing the cooking is more than enough for me.” She smiled.
“If you don’t mind me asking, I’m curious about the father of Sara’s baby. You never mentioned him, but from what I’ve learned from cop shows, isn’t the boyfriend or husband always the first suspect?”
She wasn’t surprised when Aiden turned the conversation back to her sister’s murder. It was a bit exasperating, but she’d answer. “Sara was having an affair with a married man named Zander Lyons. Zander and Sara broke up a little while after she got pregnant. He wasn’t going to leave his wife and wanted Sara to have an abortion. She refused. Sheriff Wilkins knows all this, but Zander’s alibi is apparently ironclad.” The words rolled off her tongue in a matter-of-fact tone. Show no emotion, she told herself. It’s easier that way.
“Was Sara scared of him?”
Lily shrugged. “I don’t know, but Zander’s a real ass. He’s the show-offy type with a big ego, thinks he’s in charge of everything and everyone. Like a spoiled rich kid, used to getting his way. I do remember Sara telling me something creepy he’d said—that one way or another, she was going to lose the baby. That’s a threat if ever I heard one. But Sara nev
er actually said she was afraid of him.” Lily huffed. “My sister didn’t always tell me everything. Don’t get me wrong; we were close. She was like a mother to me. Always taking care of everything, but sometimes she kept things to herself so I wouldn’t worry. That’s the feeling I got when it came to Zander Lyons.”
“Is there anyone else you can think of who would want your sister dead? Think hard. Anyone at all?”
She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “God, you sound like a cop. Too many crime shows maybe?”
“I’m sorry. I just want to help. Am I getting too personal? Tell me if I am, OK?” He added the pasta to the boiling water. “Listen, dinner will be ready soon. Do you want to talk about something else?”
She thought about Philip Kemp. Should she mention him? He’d seen her with the gun the day Sara was murdered. Maybe it would be better not to bring up his name.
“That’s a good idea. Enough about me.” She raised a brow and fixed him with a look of hard suspicion. “Tell me what you really do for a living, and don’t say stockbroker.”
CHAPTER 10
Aiden swallowed his panic and laughed. “Of course I’m a stockbroker. Or rather, was a stockbroker. Retired now, remember?”
Lily leaned closer and cocked her head. “Really?”
He nodded, perhaps a little too vigorously. The intensity of her stare was unnerving. It made him want to keep talking to try to convince her. Aiden squared his shoulders and returned her gaze. He took a deep breath and said, “OK, OK, I’m a detective.” Then he gave her his best dimple-popping smile when he saw the shock on her face. “Gotcha!”
She returned his smile. “Good one.”
Relief filled him. She was a lot smarter than he’d thought. How could he keep questioning her without raising suspicion? Aiden turned away and stirred the pasta, pulling out a strand for a taste test. “Al dente,” he declared while chewing. “Hope that’s how you like it.”
He’d set the table with the only dishes in the cabin. They were white with a blue border and so thin they were almost transparent. He thought they might be those dishes that were so popular in the seventies. The ones that could be dropped and wouldn’t shatter. The place setting was nothing fancy, but while he was out he’d picked up a couple of candle holders and tapers from the dollar store to add to the ambience.
Aiden sparked a match and lit the candles, secretly praying they weren’t a fire hazard, then turned down the dimmer switch in the kitchen. The aroma of wine, basil, garlic, and the scent of burning logs mingled, stirring him, making him feel as if he was on a real date.
The pale of Lily’s eyes reflected the glow of the candles. Her hair shone, casting a halo around her head and shoulders, and the curve of her lips made him want to pull her to him and kiss her deeply. It made him want other things too. Perhaps later.
“What are you thinking?” she asked, catching the smile he’d been trying to hide.
How beautiful she was and how he wanted her more than he’d wanted any woman in a very long time. “That I’m pretty damn hungry.”
She smiled, biting her lower lip as she took a seat at the table. He noticed the cling of her blouse around full breasts and caught a peek at the black lace beneath it. It’d be easy to kiss her now, maybe slide a hand under that silk.
“Hey, did you make the meatballs from scratch?” Lily asked, and he was glad for the diversion.
“Absolutely,” he lied as he set the bowl of pasta in the center of the table along with a fresh-cut French loaf.
Over dinner, Aiden kept to chitchat, nattering on about his childhood, most of which was true. It was easier to infuse real life into the conversation, that way he wouldn’t have to remember so many lies. He told her about his younger sister, Nora, and how he missed her since she and her family moved to California because of her husband’s job. Then about his father’s heart attack three years ago and his mother’s car accident. He tried his best to just be a regular guy. Of course he’d thrown in some lies. He’d had time to make up a backstory about his career and added a fictional close call with marriage just for the fun of it. He told Lily, with feigned heartfelt conviction, how much he wanted to settle down and have kids, and that a small town like Higgstown was the perfect place to raise a family.
“How did you know she wasn’t the right one for you? If you wanted to get married so badly, wasn’t it difficult to call it off?” Lily asked, her eyes wide with interest.
He had her now. “I want to get married more than anything in the world. I want a wife. I want kids, but I refuse to settle. I need a woman who’ll challenge me every day. I like adventure in a relationship and Melissa just didn’t do that for me.” Aiden held her gaze and reached for her hand. He was laying it on thick, telling her what every woman wanted to hear from a man. “You’ve been kicking my ass all night, Miss Valier. You just might be the kind of woman I’m looking for.”
He noticed she hadn’t touched the wine he’d poured for her before dinner. It was looking as if she was trying to keep her wits about her.
She smiled at his words and looked for a moment as if she was going to speak, but then something changed in her expression. It was as if a switch had been thrown and the light in her eyes went out. Lily patted her lips with a napkin and pushed her chair back to stand. “Maybe I should go? It’s getting late and with the snow and all…” She turned to look out the window.
Shit! He still needed answers, but where could he go from here? He’d already tried the direct approach, but that only raised her suspicions. Then he turned on the charm, and now she was running for the hills. He took a deep breath, collected himself, walked to the kitchen window, and flicked on the outside light. Flakes were still falling, fat and thick. The snow he’d cleared earlier had been replenished and with a bit more to boot.
“I really hate to say this, but it doesn’t look like you’ll be going anywhere tonight.” He turned back to face her, suddenly relieved. Maybe he’d have another chance to gain her trust.
Lily stood beside him and peered out the window. Sure enough there had to be a foot of newly fallen snow. Her car was practically buried. There’d be no way to get back down that driveway. What the hell was she doing here anyway? The evening had been a strange one. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something wasn’t sitting right with her. Aiden was, of course, amazing, cute, and desirable. Every time she looked at those lips she wanted to kiss them, but could she trust him? Wilkins and Deluca were handling the murder investigation, so she was pretty sure he wasn’t a cop. But a stockbroker? The more she got to know him, the more unlikely it seemed.
She gave her head a shake and put her suspicions on the back burner, but what was she going to do about getting home?
“Why don’t you stay? You can have my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch,” Aiden suggested.
His words pulled her from her thoughts. “No, I couldn’t. Besides, I have Rex to think about.” Although he’d more than likely already had an accident or two on the dining room rug. Jesus Christ! What choice did she have?
“Lily, please. Have a look out there. When the morning comes, I’ll clear the snow down to the road so you can get home. And I promise I won’t try anything, really.” He pouted and that made her smile.
“OK,” she relented, and an unexpected tingle of excitement ran up her spine.
He stepped closer and kissed her. “That’s all you’re going to get out of me, young lady. No more. I’m not that kind of man.”
They sat in front of the fire and chatted until her lids grew heavy. She’d let him do most of the talking, and she was relieved he hadn’t asked any more personal questions. She wanted to trust Aiden and had every intention of giving him the benefit of the doubt, but it had to be at a pace she was comfortable with.
A sudden thought struck that maybe the storm was a sign they should be together. Yes, she decided, that was how she was going to take it. They had no choice but to spend a lot of time together, getting to know one another. He seemed so
sincere. What she’d felt earlier were just her silly demons popping up.
The fire was dwindling now, but she was glad for it. The heat had made her sleepy. Leaning her head on Aiden’s shoulder, Lily stifled a yawn, and he wrapped an arm around her. It felt so right, so natural. Then his lips where on hers, and she kissed him back, all thoughts of sleep falling away. He let his hand slip from around her shoulders, fingers now inching closer to her breasts. Instinctively, she moved nearer. He unbuttoned her blouse, and she felt the silk of it as it fell from her shoulders. A shudder of pleasure ran through her.
God, she wanted more. Needed more.
“Wanna go upstairs?” he asked between kisses.
“Yes, yes,” she whispered.
CHAPTER 11
After they’d made love, Lily lounged in Aiden’s arms. The even rhythm of his breath, his scent, the warmth of his body, the solidness of him made her feel as if she were finally home and without a care in the world. Once he’d nodded off, she lifted her head to peek at him. He was like a masterpiece sculpted out of marble. Chiseled jawline and a square, angular face with a hint of stubble. She could gaze at him all night, but the lull of contentment was dragging her to sleep’s door.
The bed was simple, made of pine like the rest of the cabin. It was large, king size, but she didn’t want her own space. She wanted to meld into him. There was no fluffy duvet, no overstuffed pillows, only sheets and a thin blanket. Despite her contentment, the chill in the air forced Lily out of bed in search of something to don. The floorboards creaked as she made her way to the armoire on tippy toes. She could barely make out its shape in the dim light of the moon shining through the sheers.
Finding the armoire at last, she carefully pulled the door open, relieved it made no sound. Lily felt around in the darkness for something warm, hoping for a sweatshirt. Her hand landed on a few T-shirts and a pair of jeans thrown haphazardly onto a shelf. A neat man Aiden was not. She smiled as she refolded the clothes and stacked them in a tidy pile.
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