Page 159 of Secrets Along the Shore

Edward straightens up, but doesn’t look the least bit uncomfortable.

He looks eager. “Do I finally get to help you?”

“Wow. Be careful, Soph. That’s a double-edged sword he’s swinging,”Matthew says and laughs. “If you let Edward Calder into your business?—”

Edward shoots Matthew a quick “You, hush.”

Matthew rolls his eyes. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

My heart picks up speed as I steel myself to push the next words out.

Here we go.

“I was talking to Richard Taybolt, the owner of the land where her body was found. He said a Huntsville attorney, Frank Donner, approached him about selling it. Donner told him he had a buyer willing to pay up to a million-five. Wouldn’t say who it is and I need to find out. According to Taybolt, the buyer wanted the land for a spa retreat they were going to build. You’ve got your finger on the pulse of everything that happens in the area. I was wondering if you’d heard about a project like that?”

Edward frowns, sucking in a cheek. “I don’t think so. There was talk of a hotel a while back, some kind of budget place right off 174, but it fell through. I haven’t heard anything about a spa.” He suddenly looks quizzical and holds up a finger. “You know what, I do remember getting wind of someone from Birmingham—a shady business, I think—looking at buying property up here, but there was some concern about the source. Who told me that?” He raises his gaze to the ceiling as if the answer is written on it. After a few beats, he shakes his head. “No, I don’t remember. James?”

James shakes his head. “I haven’t heard anything. I can ask around, though.” If James is experiencing any anxiety over this subject matter, I don’t detect it.

I wish that made me feel better. As it is, I don’t think the chicken and dumplings are going to stay down for long.

I do my best to offer a genuine smile to James. “Thanks, that would be great,” I say, hoping I sound appreciative and not like I’m imagining him strangling Kamden Avery.

I turn my attention back to Edward and absorb every line and curve of his countenance, ready to register any change as I say the next bit. “If you could ask around, and Matthew, maybe Chandler too”—I include everyone, not wanting Edward to realize I’m focusing on him—“it would be really helpful, since obviously I can’t get a warrant requiring Donner to tell me who his client is, and your grapevine might be the only way to ferret it out. I’ve asked my contacts, and no one had a clue.” The last part isn’t true, but I need him to think it is.

If Edward feels any relief at my admission that I’ve hit a wall in my efforts to identify the would-be purchaser of Taybolt’s property, it doesn’t show.

But that doesn’t mean anything.

I know now that he’s very,verygood at hiding things.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-THREE

I manageto escape Edward’s house before dessert by feigning a headache. James offers to follow me home, but I tell him I’m fine.

I am anything but.

The ten-minute drive is a blur. I’m a bag swirling in a tornado of revelation and doubt. I may be hoping for an explanation that makes all this okay, but what I can’t deny is that Edward is connected to Donner and is doing whatever he’s doing in order to protect James.

But protect him from what?

I try to imagine a scenario in which James doesn’t know what’s going on. Where he isn’t involved somehow. I’ve managed to come up with a couple before I pull in my drive.

It’s possible that the bid to purchase the property was legitimate, and now Edward is concerned about how it’ll seem because a body was found on the land after the fact. It’s all a horrible coincidence that will look bad for James and hurt his chances in the election.

It’s also possible Edward was telling the truth about a shady buyer being interested in Taybolt’s property. Like a drug-selling organization looking to move operations up north? If Edward caught wind of it, maybe he was trying to buy the land out from under them, to keep them out of Mitchell County. And it’s all a horrible coincidence that will look bad for James and hurt his chances in the election.

Then there’s the possibility I don’t want to think about.

Edward knew Kamden Avery was buried on the property when he had Donner make the offers.

I need a way to talk to Edward without accusing him. To talk to James without alienating him. These people are going to be my family. My only family for all intents and purposes. I don’t want to spoil it before it starts, because this could lead to nothing and then I’ve ruined everything.

My headlights illuminate the area near the entrance to my house as I roll up, the gravel crunching beneath my car. They also light up Bilbo, positioned right outside the door, and immediately I know something is wrong.

Bilbo is standing at attention, staring down the driveway. He’s not a pet at the moment. He’s a fierce protector.