Page 70 of The Hearth Witch’s Guide to Magic & Murder (The Hemlock Saga #1)

“I don’t have many feelings about it one way or the other,” said Carys.

Seeing Avery’s expression, she explained.

“Our mothers were close, but Eira and I never really got along, and I’ve never been particularly fond of children.

Growing up hardly improved my desire to know him.

When he was married he was dull, and when he was widowed, he was drunk.

His life holds very little impact on mine, you might as well have been commenting on a man I’d never met in a country I’d never been. ”

“Do you know anyone who might want to hurt him?”

For a moment she was at a loss, then with a careless shrug, “Anyone who ever met him?”

Avery quirked an eyebrow.

“I didn’t care for Eira, but she at least conducted her business with heart.

” Carys leaned forward conspiratorially over the back of an armchair.

There was something about the way she spoke that didn’t quite sound rehearsed, but rather like she was repeating someone else’s words—someone else’s gossip.

“If Elis wasn’t fucking you, he was fucking you over.

If you ask me, the plane with his wife and kid was sabotaged by someone hoping Elis would be on it. ”

“Are you saying you know the plane was tampered with?”

Her demeanor dropped again, and once more she was nervous and twitchy—the stark contrast between the woman she wanted to be and the woman she was.

“No. God, no. I forgot you’re with the police.

” She took a deep breath. “No, I don’t know anything.

I don’t know anything that anyone else doesn’t know.

I was just telling you what I’ve heard—things people have said. ”

“What people?”

“His girlfriends. A business partner or two. Elis never was very skilled at making connections, just enemies.”

“Do any of those enemies stand to inherit if something happened to him?”

Carys shook her head vigorously. “Not to my knowledge.” She walked around the armchair and sat, a small plume of dust rising up from the impact. “I suppose I’m Elis’s only living relative now…” She chewed on the thought again, and the society woman slowly seeped back into her posture. “Unless…”

Avery was starting to wonder if this was just a game to Carys, helping her feel like the socialite she once was, only tempered by the realization that she was potentially playing with the law itself. “Unless what?”

“Have you questioned Eira’s supposed little boytoy?” Suddenly Carys looked like the cat that ate the canary. It was unnerving how quickly the mask came off and on. Perhaps this woman was capable of more than Avery had originally given her credit. And if so… Where was Saga?

Avery cleared her throat. “A routine questioning, yes.” It hadn’t been questioning so much as Benjamin letting his nerves completely divulge family secrets, but Carys didn’t need to know that. “Do you think there’s more information to be found?”

Carys preened. “Well, it’s not something I know, but I always had a hunch something wasn’t quite right about that arrangement.”

With a deep breath and renewed patience, she prompted again, “Could you elaborate?”

Carys shifted her posture, her chest puffed out and brazen. “Well, let’s see… He’s barely twenty-three, well-dressed, flamboyant… You think someone like that is going to have sex with a woman—let alone a woman Eira’s age? Why? What could possibly be the appeal?”

Clearly, the woman had never met a fop or dandy in her life.

“I’m not here to judge someone’s sexual preferences, I’m here to catch a killer,” Avery reminded tersely.

“Though it needn’t be said, may I remind you that simply because you wouldn’t want to be with someone so many years your senior doesn’t mean no one would. ”

Carys visibly rolled her eyes. “I’m sure Eira’s billions of dollars didn’t hinder that attraction.”

“That does not mean it helped in the equation either.”

“Oh, come on, Inspector. You cannot be this naive. Even if his intentions were pure, that kind of money always factors into the equation.” She leaned forward once more.

“And if his intentions were pure, I’ll eat my hat.

He was clearly after something. Not that he got it in the end, but that didn’t stop him from trying.

That smug little rat claimed he had no one.

Made a big show of it too. You should have seen the way Eira babied him—even more than when Elis was his age. ”

“I thought you didn’t socialize with the family,” Avery said flatly.

Carys waved her hand dismissively. “I would see them out. You don’t have to speak for that.” Her eyebrows bobbed knowingly. “Makes you wonder, you know?”

“Wonder what?” Saga asked, wandering back into the room while Avery tried to not look too relieved to see her.

Eager to have a new audience, Carys shifted in her seat toward Saga. “If all his crass talk was a show to cover up for something else. Something far more scandalous.”

“I need you to be specific, Ms. Varney,” Avery pressed, unable to keep the irritation from her voice this time. The magic of her voice unable to focus on Carys, and Carys unable to focus on her own narrative, was becoming increasingly frustrating, and so she’d given up on the charm entirely.

Carys’s expression soured, and her shoulders hunched. She looked chastened. She spoke more plainly, pouting. “After Heath—her husband—passed, Eira lived much of her life in secrecy. That was nearly a quarter of a century ago. Interesting that the boy is around that age too, wouldn’t you say?”

Avery frowned. Was she suggesting Benjamin was actually Eira’s child? It was pure supposition. There was no evidence, no basis. It was a wild theory in the dark.

“You think I’m angry about getting nothing?

I’m sure a secret love child would be a lot angrier to only end up with an unfashionable drafty condo he can’t even sell.

Especially with all that property that was otherwise available?

If he’s a direct descendant like Elis, he’s entitled to half that estate. ”

This was just more idle gossip crafted from a bored mind.

“It would certainly present a strong motive—if it were true.” Avery inhaled slowly.

Was Carys deliberately wasting their time, or was she just incredibly lonely?

“Is there any solid reason or evidence you have to believe the nature of their relationship wasn’t what it appeared to be?

Any proof that it wasn’t sexual—or even romantic?

The woman would have had to give birth when she was in her sixties. ”

Carys shrugged unhelpfully. “Did anyone ever see them together? I don’t remember ever even seeing them hold hands.”

“When we spoke he was extremely forward about sharing about her sexual appetite.”

Saga’s nose visibly scrunched in discomfort.

“He was always like that—to anyone who would listen, I’m told,” said Carys.

“Who told you?” Avery asked wearily knowing she wouldn’t get an answer.

“I’ve known boys like him, Inspector.” It sounded like a boast. “And in my experience, all that talk usually means nothing is happening at all.”

Saga spoke up. “She does have a point there. Does smack a little of ‘the lady doth protest too much.’”

Looking again like the excited gossip, Carys turned in her chair to Saga. “Did she even bring him to your wedding?”

Saga paused. “No. In fact I hadn’t even heard about him until Leigh told me recently.”

Avery met Saga’s eyes pointedly. She spoke slowly, hoping the gravity in her tone would get her message across. “Do you have any reason to believe we shouldn’t follow this lead?”

Understanding, Saga shook her head, indicating she hadn’t found anything relevant to the case in her search. “No.”

Avery thought back to her original conversation with the young man. He was overly forward, eager to talk. Possibly too eager. Could Carys actually be right? Was this to throw them offtrack? “Funny how willing he was to tell everyone’s dirty little secrets…except his own.”

“Do you happen to have the address of that unsellable drafty condo?” asked Saga.