“Nope.”
“This seems like a nice town. Quiet.”
“It’s better when school is in session, but I can’t complain. It’s my home.”
I peer closer to the photo. “Your great-aunt looks familiar, but I don’t know how I could know her.”
“Probably not. She’s never left Winona her whole life, but she used to teach a long time ago. Way before you would’ve been in college.”
“Did she ever write any papers? Maybe I read one.”
“I don’t think so. She taught English and literature. Dolores Fetterman, but she retired before I was even born.”
“She must have a familiar face.”
“Maybe. How long are you in town?”
“I’m not in town. I’m just passing through.”
“Ah, heading to the big city?”
“Yeah.”
“Mom,” one of the kids says, “we’re running out of peach ice cream.”
“Okay.” Hailey smiles. “If you want to drive by the place, it’s a historic building. It’s two miles from here. Take a left, you can’tmiss it.” She leans closer. “Don’t tell my aunt I told you. She hates the lookie-loos, as she calls them.”
I chuckle. “My lips are sealed.”
“Take care.” She turns to leave but pauses. “Oh. If you see a surly man out front, don’t engage. He’s eternally in a bad mood.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. He’s my…” She shrugs. “My great-aunt’s nephew, whatever relation that makes him to me. He’s just staying for a bit, but he’s rude to people.”
“Noted. Thanks for the ice cream.”
“You’re welcome.”
Man, you gotta love a small town. How long would it have taken me to get this kind of intel in Madison or Chicago? I head back to my car and decide to do a little drive-by. I won’t do anything, I just want to know what I’m dealing with if I decide to.
Down the street, exactly as Hailey described it, sits a big stone house on the corner. It’s beautiful, if a little worn around the edges, but its original grandeur still shines through. No one is outside, but there’s a beat-up truck in the drive, next to a luxury sedan. I pull to the curb and sit for a bit, pretending to use my phone while I stake out the place.
Thirty minutes go by and nothing happens. Either no one is home or everyone is staying inside. There are lots of windows though. Plenty of ways to get into the house. I bet in a town as small and homey as this, they don’t bother with a security system either. Maybe I can come out again in a few days to get another read on the place. I need to make sure Hailey and Dolores and any other innocent people are left in the dark.
If Fetterman ever leaves his house, that would be ideal. I need to plot the best way to get rid of this douchebag. I start my car and turn around just as my phone buzzes.
Glancing at the screen, my chest tightens when I see who it is.
“Hey, Nantes,” I answer, hoping I sound cool.
“Hey. Where are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean your car isn’t here. Did you go somewhere?”
“Oh, yeah, just out for a drive. Looking at different spots around town. Everything okay?”
