Page 85 of Capturing You

Just for her. Because…because he liked her.

“If you think the murders were related to something Charles was doing, do you have a theory about what that was?”

“At this point, all I have are guesses.” He finished his last bite of noodles, then unwrapped his own chocolate and popped the whole thing into his mouth.

How much should he tell her? How could he share what he knew without telling her where the information came from?

“There were rumors at the time of their murders about a smuggling ring here in Shadow Cove.”

“I never heard that.”

“You were a child, and it was a long time ago. I’ve heard people refer to the group as “The Network.”

“Who? What people?”

“Just…people.”

“You can’t tell me?”

“No.”

She squinted, studying him closely. “So you have talked to people in town.”

He considered the question and answered carefully. “I’ve heard from a few, yes.” That was honest enough. He’d heard the term from the murderers themselves. “I believe that the smugglers used the dock on the property, the place where the men were unloading the other day.”

“The Haunted Inlet.”

“The…what?”

“That’s what locals call it. And this is Mystery Mansion.”

“I didn’t know that.” How…disconcerting. The home that was the site of all his greatest memories, along with the most horrifying event of his life, had been reduced to a couple of creepy nicknames.

Brooklynn’s head tilted to the side. “I’m surprised that the people who told you about The Network didn’t mention the town’s monikers for this property.”

“The point is that what you witnessed confirms the information I received. The Network is back and operating again.”

“Who told you that?”

He considered various answers and decided to stick with the truth. “I received an anonymous note.”

“That’s weird. Why would they send it to you? Because you’re related? But wouldn’t they send it to Marie? The grandmother?”

“Whoever sent it must’ve heard I was researching what happened here.”

Another lie.

The sender had addressed the note to Forbes at the Ballentine Enterprises office.

But who’d sent it? And why?

Brooklynn sucked in a breath, her eyes widening. “Oh, wow. The person you talked to must’ve told someone you were investigating. Or maybe that person sent the note? That means…that means they’re involved somehow.”

“If so, then why would they tell me?”

“But if they aren’t involved, how do they know?”

“No idea.” His tone was short because she was asking all the questions he’d yet to answer.