“Most likely.” I sat back on my heels. “I didn’t see any evidence of drugs on him. Maybe he was going to pay someone… or maybe someone paid him. We need to check later and see if anyone comes to take the money. If someone knows about it, they could be the killer.”
“Good thinking. Do you have security cameras around here?” Henry asked, looking around the wooden stable.
“We do, and you can be sure our security team has scoured them already. It’s too bad we don’t have them out in the forest where he was shot, though. There's also a back entrance without a camera.” I frowned and stood up. Then I removed the gloves, turning them inside out as I learned to do in my science classes.
Henry rubbed his arms. “That might solve the case then, right? If someone knows about the money and we catch them out here searching for it.”
“Maybe. Well, only if they know where Zac ended up, and if the outdoor cameras aren’t too covered in snow.”I shuddered, thinking about the murderer possibly being inside my home.
We trudged back to the house and hung up the winter clothes. A wave of exhaustion washed over me, and my injured ankle still ached. I sat down on a bench and leaned forward on my elbows.
“Are you all right?” Henry asked as he slid on his loafers. “I’m not sure you’ve recovered from your injuries entirely.”
I wanted to keep investigating, but in all honesty, I wasn’t feeling too hot. And seeing Zac’s dead body stressed me out more than I realized. I needed a breather.
“I’m sure it will take a few more days to recover. But I’m just a little sore. Are you hungry?” I asked Henry, remembering that all the school athletes seemed to have a hollow leg.
“Usually.” He nodded matter-of-factly. I couldn't imagine being hungry all the time. “You should take it easy, Georgiana. I know all about fae healers and things, but I still can’t believe a fracture could heal in minutes, even if it was minor.”
“It’s not too bad, but you’re right. It will take some time to fully heal." I didn't realize untilthen that I was limping out of the coatroom. As I turned to see if Henry was following, I slipped. Before I fell, he caught me, lifting off my feet momentarily.
For a moment he stood there, holding me as if I weighed nothing. Then he set me back down onto my feet, taking care that I didn't slip again. "Careful there."
Henry was stronger than I expected, not the same little boy I'd played with as a child. "That's the second time you've stopped me from falling today. Thank you."
"I should make it my full-time job." He offered me his arm to keep me stable. "It would certainly be more fun than working at a lab."
"Probably more dangerous too," I realized I was flirting as I spoke. So I stopped, unsure I should cross that line with Henry.
The kitchen was empty when we entered. A cozy fireplace glowed in the far corner, where Waffles still slumbered.
“You can warm up here,” I said as I took the inside-out plastic gloves and tossed them into the flames before washing my hands. They let off a brief burnt plastic smell, which was soon covered by baking food.
"My little princess has finally found her true love," Rosie, the little plant's, observation echoed through my mind as I passed her sitting on the counter. I wasn't quick to disagree.
"Good thing I'm the only person who understands you." I touched one of her red little buds. Miniature roses were notoriously romantic. As I washed my hands, Rose, the cook, returned to the kitchen with a basket of root vegetables.
“Oh, no! Is something burning?” She looked around, lifting pot lids and checking the oven.
Apparently, the burnt plastic smell from the gloves lingered longer than I’d expected.
Chapter 6
“Oh,Ithinkthat’sjust from a vent or something.” I shrugged, hoping Rose would let the matter drop. “Rose, I wanted to make a snack for myself and Henry. Any suggestions?”
“We’ve got a lot of pears right now. They're popular during the holidays.” Rose looked over Henry. “I’d imagine he might want a bit more than pears, though. They go well with smoked gouda and a baguette.”
"It's like you can read my mind." Henry smiled at Rose. "I love all of those things."
Rose beamed. "Cook's intuition."
I found a few pears to slice up and added a few pieces of cheese to a plate to share. “Anything else you’d like, Henry? Sorry, I guess I just assumed you’d be hanging out with me. I can have a maid find you a room to settle in if you’d prefer.”
“I’m fine. This looks great. As long as you’ll let me tag along, I’m not going anywhere.” Henry helped himself to a few pear slices with some cheese.
“It might be a good time to do some rounds and meet our guests,” I said as we climbed the stairs away from the cozy kitchen. During the holidays we enchanted the entire house with the scents of fresh pine, cranberries, and a touch of cinnamon. A special touch I'd recently added was to place orchestral music on my harp and piano and spellbind them to repeat the pieces throughout the day. This was a favorite of guests and tourists, not all of whom understood fae magic. Some perceived them as elaborate mechanisms, while others understood the truth. "You probably didn't expect to be put to work by Georgiana Darcy this afternoon,did you?"
"I did not." Henry walked like royalty with his hands clasped behind his back. "Aside from the murder and nearly running you over, I'd say it's been pretty pleasant."
