Page 44 of Kill Your Darlings

My lips parted, but sometimes it’s better not to know.

“Uh oh,” Adrien murmured.He was looking past me.

I followed his gaze and spotted Mindy Newburgh, incoming.Wise child that she was, Cherry departed post haste for her table in the nether regions where supporting staff were relegated.

As Mindy reached me, she demanded, “Keiran, are we still on for coffee tomorrow?”

I didn’t quite understand the reason for the narrow eyes or tight expression.I’d accepted her invitation mostly out of curiosity.She wasn’t one of my authors, although I’d worked with her back when I’d first been with Wheaton & Woodhouse.

“Of course.”

She looked skeptical, but then she glanced behind me, offered a chilly smile, and backed away.Adrien, too, faded out with graceful but strategic haste, and I knew, with a sinking feeling, exactly who was aimed my way.

I rearranged my features into cordial interest, and turned to greet Lila, resplendent in emerald-green.Before I could say anything, she got right up in my face and hissed, “Whyare you ignoring my phone calls?Whodo you think you are?”

That was more aggressive than I’d anticipated.

“I-I wasn’t ignoring you, Lila.I’m sorry.I didn’t have cell service a lot of the day.”

“Why would you not have cell service?”Her expression was one of open disbelief.“Where did you disappear to?Wherewereyou?I must have phoned you five times.”

I said quietly, “I went to visit my father’s grave.We weren’t on good terms when he died, and since he’s buried in San Mateo, I felt like it was something I should do.”

Did I feel guilty lying?Of course.Especially about that.But what was I going to say?I went to confront the man I believe is trying to blackmail me for my involvement in a murder that happened twenty years ago.

Lila’s expression changed.She said a little defensively, “Why didn’t—I didn’t realize.I mean, I knew your father passed recently.I didn’t know you’d lived locally.”Her tone was significantly less abrasive.

“Yes.In fact, I put the house on the market when I was here for the funeral.There are a couple of offers on it, so when I left San Mateo, I stopped by to have one last look.”

“Yes.That’s… I see.”

“Unfortunately, a lot of the coastal area has spotty reception.I didn’t realize you were trying to reach me.To be honest, my thoughts weren’t on work.”

That at least was the truth.

She looked uncomfortable.“No.Of course not.You could have told me.Frankly, I was shocked when you didn’t show up for Finn’s interview with Rudolph Dunst.Given the fuss you’ve been making over him.”

Good old Lila.A breath of fresh air.

“No more fuss.”I said lightly, “He’s all yours now.”

“Mm.”It was a noncommittal sound.She struggled with herself and managed a reluctant, “I’m sorry I jumped down your throat, Keiran.Sorry for your loss.”She added doubtfully, “I never thought of you as sentimental.”

“I’m not.But…”

“He was your father.Yes, I get it.”

“Don’t worry.I’ll be fully present and engaged for the rest of the conference.”

She nodded, frowning faintly, and turned away.I watched her make her way to the central table where Vaughn sat talking with Finn.As Lila reached the table, Vaughn looked up and asked her something.Lila shrugged and took her seat.

Finn was studying Lila.He glanced at me.Our gazes locked.

He turned back to Vaughn.

All at once, I was exhausted, drained.The overhead lights were blindingly bright; the volume of voices all talking at once, deafening.An ominous tightness crawled over the base of my skull.The shimmering at the edge of my vision was turning into wavy lines.

Fan-fucking-tantastic.A migraine.Really?