Usually Xeni would have been annoyed. It was barely the middle of September, so her cousin had plenty of time to get her college applications in order. And while Xeni didn’t know how she specifically was the person for this job, she knew her mom’s thought process. Xeni worked in education, therefore she knew every other person in academia on Earth, including everyone in college admissions. But the text was also proof that her mom wasn’t BIG pissed at her anymore. Now she was just moderately annoyed and waiting to chew her out in person, not angry enough to give her the cold shoulder. The question was her olive branch. Things were going to be okay between them.
She wondered when they were really going to talk about Sable, then instantly stopped the thoughts in their tracks.
“Later. Just worry about that later.” What had happened couldn’t be undone, not that she wanted it to, and there was only forward. Sable was gone and Xeni didn’t have a time machine. She wanted answers, but they could wait. She sent a text back.
Happy to.
Tell her to text me and
we’ll set up a time to start.
Thank you baby.
Call Dante and say hello. XM
I’ll call you both tonight. XP
Xeni slipped her phone in her pocket and was headed toward the laundry room to throw her clothes in the dryer when the doorbell rang. The only person she was expecting was Mason and he was just now finishing up for the day at the cafe. They were going to have dinner and see just how long they could pretend sex wasn’t also on the menu for the evening. She walked to the front of the house and stood up on her tiptoes to peek through the transom window. A tall, slim older White man with graying hair and a mustache stood on the front porch. Behind him, Xeni saw a green taxi idling at the end of the driveway. She didn’t even know you could catch a taxi this far out, but at least the driver could act as a witness if this visitor turned out to be a murderer.
She cracked the door and peeked her head through, taking in his dark blue suit and his freshly polished wingtips. He smelled faintly of self-importance. “Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Sable Everly.” The thick Scottish accent that flowed from his mouth immediately set her on edge.
“Sable isn’t here at the moment. Is there something I can help you with?”
“Who are you?”
Heat flashed over her face. “Who areyou? And how can I help you?”
“My name is Jameson McInroy and I’m trying to figure out why my son had Sable Everly wire me nearly forty-thousand pounds.”
20
Mason was looking at the ferry schedule from Woods Hole to Oak Bluffs when his phone started ringing in his hand. XENI CALLING... scrolled across the screen. He ignored the sudden release of endorphins and hit ACCEPT. He’d planned to leave for her house as soon as he pulled on his sneakers, but he was happy to talk to her anytime.
“Hello, my love,” he said as soon as he hit accept. “What can I do for you?”
“Your dad is here.”
“What?” Mason knew he’d heard her wrong.
“Your dad is sitting in my living room. He’s here about the money and he said he won’t leave until you come here. I’m trying to keep my cool, but tell me what you want me to do.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. He’s pretty fucking rude, but I think we’ve come to an understanding.”
“Love, I’m sorry. I’ll be right there.”
“Drive safe, but yeah, please hurry. I’m not gonna call the cops or anything. I just don’t want him in my house.”
“I’m on my way.” Mason ended the call and scrambled to finish getting dressed. He rushed down to his car and spotted Silas walking back to the barns from the cannery.
“Eh!” he called out to him, as he jogged across the parking lot.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“My father is here.”
