“Which probably tells me all I need to know.” Considering how much time had elapsed since Meredith Prescott left, Simon fully understood why some people would prefer they keep it buried. If he’d sniffed even a hint of a coverup, he would jump all over it. But as of now, they had fragments of information, and none of it added up to a crime.
“I’ll find a way,” Holt blurted. “Don’t give up on me yet.”
“Givin’ up on you would be the last thing I do.”
“Good. I’ll need a day or so. Until then, just stick around. I’m sure you can find something to keep you busy until then.”
Someone, maybe. But Simon kept that to himself.
Chapter Four
Thursday, September 8, 2022
“Hey, Mom!” Violet called as she walkedinto her mother’s house on Thursday evening. “Geez, Mom. What the hell?”
Scrunching her nose, she resigned herself to taking a shower when she left. Her mother was back to smoking in the house again, and no doubt that stench would be stuck to her when she left.
“Back here!” Daphne called. “I’m on the porch.”
Violet headed for the back door, glancing into the kitchen to see what condition the house was in. It all depended on her mother’s mood, and since those were a roller coaster on a good day, she never knew what to expect.
“Not bad,” she muttered, admiring the glossy shine of the countertops. Looked as though Whitney had taken to keeping things clean because even the sink was sparkling. There was afresh bouquet of roses on the bar, although Violet figured they would choke to death from the stench of nicotine and tar in no time.
“Mom, it doesn’t help if you keep the door open when you smoke out here,” she told her mother as she joined her on the back patio.
“I usually have it closed. I was waitin’ for you.”
“For me or for Dad?”
Daphne waved her off. “I’m done with that man.”
“This week?”
“Quit givin’ me a hard time and sit down.”
Violet pulled up one of the chairs, brushed the leaves off the seat, and sat down. “Where’s Whit?”
“She was gonna get groceries on the way home. What brings you by?”
“Just checkin’ in. Haven’t seen you in a minute.”
Her mother frowned. “What does that even mean? In a minute? Youhaveseen mein a minutebecause you’ve been here for more than a minute.”
Violet smiled because she knew it was rhetorical. Her mother was always giving them a hard time about the words and phrases they used.
“What’s goin’ on with you?” Daphne asked. “That happened beforea minuteago.”
She chuckled. “Not much. Just workin’.”
“Sales good?”
“I’ll never be rich ownin’ a bookstore, but yeah, sales are good.”
“How’re Harry and Hermione?”
“Perfect,” she said, unable to hide her smile.
“Elana?”
