“Thank you, Sophia, for getting me out of Ashgate. I wouldn’t have survived much longer in that place. But… how did you do it?”
I scratch the back of my neck, wondering if I should tell him. This is River. He’ll understand. “I told Godmother I was the third and it was Patrick with you that morning, and Patrick was smart enough to back me up.”
His big brown eyes blink incredulously. “Youliedto Godmother? You told her that you were our third?”
“I had to. If I’d waited to find your actual alibi, it might have taken weeks.”
He peers at me with something close to reverence. “Fuck, Sophia. Thank you. You are an amazing friend and much braver than most, but you shouldn’t have done that. What do you owe her for getting me out?”
I grimace. “You might want to hold off on singing my praises for a beat. My price was promising to solve this murder, but I didn’t exactly get you out, like in the full sense of the word. There’s something I have to tell you.”
“What do you mean, I’m not out?”
“Did they tell you anything about this place when they brought you here?”
“Not much. They said I’d have to stay until I got the final okay from Godmother to return home. It sounded administrative.” Glancing toward the kitchen, he turns sullen. “You brought enough groceries to last… awhile.”
I grimace. “You have to stay here until we find the real murderer.”
He balks, then tilts his head as if he doesn’t quite understand. “But I have a restaurant to run and a cat to feed—”
“You have a cat? Who’s been feeding your cat?”
“Sophia, she can’t mean to keep me here indefinitely. I have a life.” Sudden horror widens his eyes. “Do people still think I did this?”
Silently, I curse Godmother for making me break this news to River. “She wants them to think you did it until we catch someone else. She’s afraid if the public knows the killer is still out there that it will impact park revenue. Godmother released you from Ashgate based on my confession, but she’ll return you there if you leave this house or tell anyone you’re here.”
He scrubs his face with his hands and turns a circle as if he’s looking for something to punch.
“I’m sorry, River. I promise you that Seven and I will solve this case—”
“Seven? Godmother is making you work with that asshole again?” Oops, River doesn’t know about my relationship with Seven. He still thinks I hate him. I shouldn’t have brought that up.
I pick at the side of my thumbnail. “Uh, I’m over it. He’s all right. The important thing is that we catch the murderer and get you out of here.”
He studies me for a second. “Gods, you’re involved with him again, aren’t you?”
My brows shoot up. “What makes you say that?” I giggle nervously. Did he just look straight into my soul or what?
“Sophia, you’re blushing.” He grimaces. “When did this happen? After what he did to you? I thought you hated Seven.”
I drop down onto the sofa, and he sits down next to me. “I was wrong about him, River. He wasn’t responsible for what happened to me at the Yule ball. That was all his dad.” This is where I have to be careful. No one knows how abusive the Delaneys were to their kids, and it’s not my secret to tell.
River shakes his head. “He had to be at least partially responsible.”
“Well, it was a long time ago. We’ve… been talking… uh, spending time together.”
“Fucking…”
“River!”
“Oh come on, Sophia. We both know leprechaun sex is the stuff of legends. There are hearts floating above your head every time you say his name. You’re getting some.”
I send him a soft smile. “Well, for reasons I don’t need to explain to you, please keep this to yourself.”
“Who am I going to tell?” He gestures vaguely around him.
“Seriously, River.”
