“Alistair Stewart.”
“That’s right. I know she liked him a lot.”
“He could be charming.”Is this why Rachel went to my house? Old times’ sake?
“I’m curious about Aran Lachlan,” Sara said. “What was he like?”
Reid shrugged. “Grans rarely mentioned him, but I got the idea that she may have hated him. He seemed to think the earth belonged to him. Today we’d call him a narcissist.”
“Have you—?” She broke off because she saw Jack walking toward them. “Uh-oh. Looks like I’m wanted.”
“How many suspects do you have?” Reid asked.
“None. All of you are very nice people. If I were writing this, I’d call itA Murder of Kindness.”
Reid gave a snort. “Whoever did it should be praised. Derek Oliver was hated by all who met him. I got the idea that Billy’s brothers sent Oliver here as a punishment.”
When Sara looked at him, she saw a flash of hatred so strong that all the hair on her body stood on end.What horrible thing did Derek Oliver do to you?she thought.
Jack had reached them. “There you are. We need you.”
“It’s always good to be needed.” Sara forced a smile. She was still chilled by Reid’s look.
As soon as they were out of earshot of Reid, Jack said, “Did you have a good vacation? You and Kate have tea and sandwiches in the cottage?”
Sara was glad Kate hadn’t told him the awful story. Not yet, anyway. “Cucumber with buttered bread and clotted cream scones. It was divine.”
Jack gave a snort at her joke.
“Well?” Sara demanded. “Tell me everything. Or did you and my brother settle down with the girls and watch that movie?”
“Randal found the cubbyhole in the cottage and...” Jack paused. “And he found a safe in the wall of the Palm Room. He’s in there now opening it. We thought you’d like to see what’s in it. Or maybe you want more tea.”
They had reached the back door of the house, but Sara grabbed his sleeve and pulled him into the shade. If there is one thing Floridians know about, it’s shade. “Tell me everything!” she said.
Jack leaned against the wall and put his hands in his pockets. “Guess what was hidden in your beloved cottage?”
“Old beer bottles?”
“DNA.”
“What?”
He grinned. “Hair samples and vials of liquid were in envelopes. There were twenty-three of them. All of them were labeled with the names and dates of the birth of people. They seem to be mostly from Lachlan.”
“But why?”
Jack shrugged. “I don’t know. All any of us know is that James Lachlan loved the newly discovered DNA. That’s why his will put a forty-year hold on this place.”
“Right,” Sara said. “Maybe he was hoping his son left behind a kid.” She didn’t mention her dream where she saw that Aran was probably gay.
“Bea came and took all of it,” Jack said. “She sent everything to Broward to be analyzed. She has a friend over there so they’ll be taken care of ASAP.”
When Jack didn’t move, Sara knew he had more to say. “What about the movie?”
“Randal and I didn’t stay to see it, but it seems to be some horror flick with a guy killing women after he screws them. I don’t get why it became popular. Anyway, the important thing is that Barbara’s late husband, the famous producer and director...”
“Who was being blackmailed for murder by Derek Oliver.”
