“Yeah,” I forced a casual shrug. “Been a little under the weather myself. A bug, you know. Nothing serious. That’s why I was at the general store the other day when you bumped into me.”
Please believe me.
He seemed to consider this for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Then, he let out a sigh. “Well, you need to do better at taking care of yourself. You’ve been through a lot…”
I nodded. “I know.”
He shifted in his chair, his gaze moving around the room and towards the basement door. “What’s down there?”
My blood ran cold.
Fuck… he knows… how the fuck does he know…
I forced a wider smile, trying to appear unconcerned. “Oh, just storage. Winter clothes, tools, random things like that.”
He didn’t move, or break eye contact either. He was studying me. The silence between us was thick and suffocating. “I think I’ll take a look.” He stood up slowly.
I had to stop him.
I moved, acting on instinct, placing my hand on his arm. “Actually, Uncle Joe, you know what? It’s a mess down there. I haven’t gotten around to cleaning up yet. Nothing worth looking at, I promise. Besides, we should probably head to the diner for dinner soon or we are going to be stuck waiting awhile because of the dinner rush.”
He stopped, turning to look at me with his hand on the handle of the basement door. “Is there something you don’t want me to see?”
I forced out a laugh. A hollow, brittle sound. “No, of course not! It’s just damp and gross down there, and I wouldn’t want you to end up with whatever bug I am getting over. Plus, I am really hungry and looking forward to having dinner with you.”
He considered it for a moment, slowly letting go of the door. “You’re right. Friday nights are quite busy.”
Oh thank god, that was a close one…
Relief washed over me. “Great. Let me grab my jacket.”
I turned away. I needed to get him out of here…now. Before he changed his mind. I fumbled with my jacket, my mind racing. Turning back to Uncle Joe, I forced myself to appear calm and collected. “Ready?”
He nodded, walking out the door, I followed behind him. The silence between us was heavy with unspoken questions. As hestarted the engine, I took a deep breath. I managed to buy myself time, but I wasn’t sure how much. “So,” I said to Uncle Joe. “What kind of pie do you think you’ll indulge in today?”
He chuckled, rolling his eyes as he started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. “Who says I’m getting pie?”
I tipped my head to the side, giving himthe look.
He chuckled. “Cherry. Cherry sounds nice.”
“Always a good choice, Uncle Joe. Always a good choice.”
“The best choice, actually.”
I smiled, briefly glancing out the window. I shifted towards him, “Do you think Rosalie's disappearance is linked to the murders?”
Uncle Joe shook his head no, “No. Based on the investigation so far, it seems like she decided to skip town. Probably to pursue her dreams of Broadway or something but–” his eyes met mine, “The investigation is still ongoing.”
Maybe he doesn't suspect me, thank fuck.
“I hope that's the case.”
“Me too.” He replied, stopping at the red light a few blocks away from the diner.
16
Rosalie
