“He sent flowers that night while I was waiting for Christopher.”
“Any contact from him since? Demands?”
I shook my head.
“Besides your future-late-husband, named…?”
“Eric Dahl.”
“Besides Eric, who might have a problem with Christopher?” said Ella.
“Nobody.”I paused and bit my lip. That wasn’t exactly true.“There’s Real Tech.”
“You also mentioned an estranged brother.” Luke leaned back in his chair and took a drink of his coffee, watching me over the rim of his mug.
“This is weird too.”I explained about the coma and the venom, and how Christopher and I had woken Brandon up, but that he was different.
Neither investigator was easy to read. They just asked more questions. I told them about Horace and Jasper, Real Tech, and the break-ins and Brandon’s garlic jar with the three serums.
At the end of the meeting, I said,“Do you believe me? Can you help?”
“We have no reason not to believe,” said Ella. “If I got stuck in a fairytale, you can time travel with a wish.”
My glance startled upward. She’d been in a fairytale? Someday I’d have to hear that story.
“The science the brother was working on sounds interesting,” said Luke. “It gives Real Tech motive if they think you have something they want or need for their valuable research.”
I breathed a sigh of relief that they believed me with so little effort or explanation. I suspected they would verify some of my information before continuing and was glad I’d been upfront with my issues.
“We’ll look into the people you mentioned and get back to you in a couple of days. Where does Eric work?”
I frowned and shook my head.“He said it was classified when we were married. I’ve never known. As far as the police can tell, Eric Dahl didn’t exist before 2016.”
Chapter 23
At six that night, a car parked in my snow-covered driveway. It was Andrew and Meghan.
I sent Dad a quick text.“You aren’t coming for dinner?”
“You and your sister should make up on your own. Andrew is there to referee if needed. We’ll see each other soon.”
Turning off the alarm, I let Andrew and Meghan in. Once they were inside, I reset the alarm and locked the door. Standard precautions these days. My family hadn’t been here before and they looked around with interest. Christopher’s parents had taken most of their belongings, leaving only a few items of artwork and the china cabinet behind. Christopher had decorated the rest with local art and repainted in warm, earth tones. I pointed to a coat rack and accepted a bag from my sister while they hung their jackets. Without Dad as a buffer, I prepared for it to be awkward.
Andrew took the food as I led them to the kitchen. Emanating from the pan was the smell of roasted meat.
I tried to see the room how they would. The Winters had updated the kitchen a few years before they’d moved. It had new stainless-steel appliances, new handles on the cupboards, and LED pot lights in the ceiling. The wooden cupboards were a soft cherry color that gave the kitchen a warm, comfortable feeling. Andrew set the warm bag of food on the counter.
“Dad didn’t come this time.” Meghan burst into tears.
I hadn’t seen my sister cry since I’d moved home from university. Any lingering resentment flew out the window. The intensity of her reaction took me aback.
Andrew indicated with a jerk of his head that I should go to her.
“Washroom’s this way?” he said, starting down the hall. “I’ll just look for it.”
With a ball of nerves in my stomach, I wrapped my arms around Meghan. Her sobs grew louder, great gulping sounds as she tried to speak. Her whole body shook, and she squeezed harder while I held on. When her tears slowed, I retrieved a box of tissues from the island.
“Elizabeth,” she said with a sniff. She blew her nose. “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you about your stalker; he could have really hurt you. I hope you don’t blame me for what happened. I feel responsible.”
