I poke around half-heartedly for cleaning supplies, the tea not doing as much caffeine-wise as I need to wake up.
“So, who do you think killed her?” he asks as I grab a broom and sweep under the counters. The police have tracked in all sorts of leaves. “I mean, I think Lydia was acting weird last night.”
“She wouldn’t kill her own sister, would she?” I wonder.
“Could be Lydia’s husband. My money’s on Damien, though.”
“He says he didn’t do it.” I fill him in on the conversation in the jail cell.
Something metallic clinks on the floor. I almost shout at Hughes to come look, but something stops me. Maybe it’s Hollis’s reaction to him. Maybe it’s how he doesn’t seem upsetthat Taylor Grace, his client, is gone. Maybe it’s best to play things close to the vest.
“I’m going to dump this water in the drain outside,” Hughes tells me, hefting the bucket.
I nod, watching him leave, then quickly bend down to investigate. It’s not a piece of metal or a mixer attachment. It’s a bracelet. I don’t think I’ve seen Taylor Grace wear anything like it. It looks expensive—a diamond glitters on it. It’s a delicate piece, the diamond hanging off the chain like a little charm. Does it belong to the murderer? Are we looking for a woman? If so, she’s a very elegant one.
Then I notice the smell. It’s spicy, pungent, almost tart. These aren’t leaves from the trees outside. They’re something else. I grab a handful and wrap them in a napkin along with the bracelet. I stick them in my pocket right as Hughes comes in, shaking off the snow.
“Find any clues?” Hughes asks with a smile.
I pull him down for a kiss so I don’t have to look into his eyes when I lie. “No.”
20
HUGHES
I’d rather be kissing Willow, but I have a case to solve. Seeing her hauled off to jail lit something in me. They aren’t going to take my girl away from me.
Mine? Yeah.
And someone clearly was trying to frame her with this murder. Did the murderer lure Taylor Grace to the shop to shoot her? I would bet money on it. As it is, I’m betting my freedom and professional reputation on it.
I spent all night modifying a code I wrote a couple of years ago to crack into a phone. And it’s finally ready to go. First, I test it on an iPhone of a similar make and model. Now, I’m going to crack Taylor Grace’s cell phone. I hum with satisfaction. It isn’t supposed to be possible. But I’ve made a pretty good living out of doing impossible things with computers.
I plug in Taylor Grace’s phone and run the code. While my hard drive churns, I stand to pace around the open kitchen and living area of the carriage house.
Willow is coming here tonight. I need to make everything perfect.
The door flies open.
“Nana, you can’t just barge in here. What if Willow were here?”
“I’ve been watching the house. I know you don’t have a woman in here.” She bustles in, carrying a big basket.
“Her granny and I put our heads together.” She hands me the box of condoms. “Now go try one of these on.”
“I have my own condoms.” I hand them back to her.
She glares at me. “I don’t need you to mess this up for me and Willow’s granny. We’ve got a lot invested in this relationship. And now that Taylor Grace has gone to the great tanning salon in the sky, Willow should be all mentally freed up to date you. You can’t blow it tonight. You want to give her the D. Don’t give her the L.”
“I really don’t want to have this conversation with you, ever.”
“It’s a public service.” She pulls a dildo out of the basket.
“This is what Willow’s grandmother got her last year, so she should be very familiar, in case you can’t, you know…” She makes a noise like air getting let out of a balloon.
“I really don’t think I’ll have a problem, but I’m sure Willow’s going to love this curated sex toy collection from a close family member.”
Nana beams. “Tell her she’s very welcome.”
