While the pack lined up, I stayed back with Nate. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything, Pinecone.”
“When were you and Lori together?”
Nate sighed, and although his lenses were dark, I caught the flutter of his eyelashes. “We had a fling about a month before Bea and I started dating.”
“So, you never cheated on Bea?”
His gaze snapped to mine. “No. Never.”
It was silly, but I was happy to hear Nate espoused the values we’d been raised with. “Good.”
Arm in arm, we made our way toward Lori’s final resting place. I raised my clenched fist over the hole and fanned out my fingers, watching the grains of dirt drift toward the growing mound of soil. Swallowing, I looked up and met Liam’s stare. I took a step back, then circled the grave.
“Hey.” I offered him a thin smile, which he didn’t return, the corners of his mouth cemented downward.
I saw movement beneath the sky-blue fleece, and then a sliver of skin appeared between the blanket and a woolen hat pulled so low it skimmed Storm’s auburn eyelashes. He wriggled and writhed, pushing his palms against his dad’s chest.
“He really hates facing in.”
“Tell me about it.” Liam palmed the carrier. “He’s been slugging me since he woke up.”
“Want me to take him?”
His gaze dipped to my knee, which made my heart pulse out a sullen beat.
“Liam?” Reese waved him over.
Before heading to where she stood with Avery, he said, “I’d love some help with him when we get to Pondside.”
“Of course.” I was about to limp my way there but took a minute to bask in the sunshine and let its warmth burn away the darkness of the night.
If it hadn’t snowed, would I have seen the murderer? And if I had seen them, would they have gunned me down to cover their tracks?
“Hey, Nikki.”
I cracked my lids open, found Grant swiping a hand over his sheared blond hair. “You’re back.”
“I am. Returned as quickly as I could.” He took another swipe at his bristly do.
“Anxious to celebrate with the fam?”
His palm froze on his hair. “That was uncalled for.”
“Was it?” I stepped up to him and poked his chest. “Tell me you’re not happy she’s gone.”
“I’m relieved but not happy.” Grant caught my wrist.
I snatched it back, smacking my face in the process.Nice, Nikki.After I got over the shock of punching myself, I took a calming breath, but my inhale failed to soothe me.
Instead, it made my heart clap harder, because . . . I took another whiff. Over Grant’s familiar scent, I picked up hints of something else, something acrid and sweet, smoky. Had he been drinking? His family was strictly against the consumption of alcohol.
I stepped in closer to see if the smell of alcohol was also on his breath. “Did you hear I was running right next to her when it happened?”
“I did. When Dad told me, I . . .” He rubbed his chin, scraping his week-old stubble. “I’m so sorry, Nik. I can’t imagine how scary it must’ve been.”
The alcohol wasn’t on his breath, it was on his skin. He lowered his hands, and the smell grew fainter.
