Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92668 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92668 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“I feel that. How do you think I got these highlights? Nicole talked me into it, and I’ve regretted it ever since.” Ash tugged on a thick part of her hair. “I think we have three solid leads and one slightly wonky one with the Swanns.”
She was right. Guy, Alan, and Stephanie had the best motives, but we couldn’t rule out Michael all together.
“I think Stephanie is the least likely of the three. There was a lot of blood, Ash,” I said quietly. “I don’t know if a woman would have been able to do that to him. He wasn’t a small guy. Unless she’s like an ex-shotput thrower or something. Could she have overpowered him?”
She wrinkled up her face. “I don’t know her at all, really, but she’s a bit more Miss Honey than Miss Trunchbull.”
“Could she have attacked him?”
“Sure, she could have. Any of us could with enough anger. I think the one thing we have to consider is that all these people had an emotional tie to Tierney,” she reasoned. “And emotions make us do funny things.”
I puckered my lips thoughtfully. She was right. Even down to something as simple as slamming a door—it was always slammed harder during anger.
I supposed heightened emotions could make anyone capable of anything.
“I guess,” I replied slowly, glancing at Tofu as the cat stretched out, spreading his shiny skin all over the table. “Should you… I don’t know, tell your brother what we’ve found out?”
“I can tell him, but he has to go through proper protocols. We don’t. Besides, it’s not like we’re doing anything wrong. What Noah doesn’t know doesn’t hurt him.”
“What Noah doesn’t know probably will hurt him, given you’re the one who just said those words,” Noah said, drawing our attention.
I turned in time to see him walking through the gate with Jamie and Brandon behind him.
Great.
Just. Bloody. Great.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I rolled my eyes and twisted back in my seat, reaching for my wine. “Should have made this straight vodka,” I muttered.
Ash smirked, catching my eye.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Noah said from right behind me. “What trouble are you getting into? Oh, Christ, is that Tofu?”
“I still don’t think that’s actually a cat,” Jamie said, sitting in Gwen’s empty chair.
I sipped my wine. “It’s not. It’s a walking chicken wing.”
“With resting bitch face,” Ash added brightly. “And, brother dearest, I take offence at you suggesting I’m getting into trouble. I never get into trouble.”
“You always get into trouble,” Brandon added. “Didn’t you get stuck in the rock pools last summer?”
Ash puckered her lips. “That wasn’t my fault.”
“Ash, the tide came in and got you stuck,” Noah said, stepping aside and leaning against the back of the chair between us. “How was that not your fault?”
“I think you’ll find the tide coming in is the fault of the moon.”
“Yes, but it’s your fault you didn’t check the tide times.” Jamie snorted, reaching out to poke Tofu’s ear. “It feels weird.”
“Jamie Donovan, stop poking my cat,” Gwen ordered, walking back outside with a drinks tray in her hands. “He is not a museum exhibition.”
“It feels weird,” Jamie repeated. “Kind of slimy.”
“Now you know how your ex-girlfriend felt around you,” she shot back, making us all laugh, including Jamie. “Move out of my seat.”
He got out of the way as she sat down and set the drinks on the table.
“Hello to you, too, Granny,” Noah said flatly.
“Are you giving me attitude, boy? I’ve only been here for two seconds. And move, you’re blocking my sun.”
“You’re sitting under a parasol,” he pointed out.
“Of course, I am. Have you seen Blondie here? I’m surprised she’s not covered in sunburn just from walking over here.”
“If you’re that worried, you’ll have to share the suncream you slather your cat in,” I said, grinning at her.
Gwen stared at me. “I liked you, Charlotte. Now you’re just giving me the same attitude my grandchildren do.”
“Then don’t do daft things like put suncream on your cat,” Ash said to her, swapping her empty glass for the full one, then she turned to Noah. “Why are you still here? Can’t you see we’re having a girly dinner? Go away.”
“Believe me, if I knew you were here, I’d have gone literally anywhere else.”
“Aw, was this the only place your girlfriend let you go?”
“Fuck off, Ash.”
“You’re the one at my table, Noah.”
Brandon nudged me. “It’s so nice when they spend time together, isn’t it?”
I eyed him warily, keeping my wine glass close to my lips. “Oh, yeah. It’s a real party since you three arrived.”
Jamie’s lips pulled into a smile. “Don’t be like that, Lottie.”
“Like what? Have you forgotten that it was only a couple of days ago that you arrested me?” I asked.
“We didn’t technically arrest you.”
“You might as well have done,” I pointed out. “It wasn’t a conversation over tea and biscuits now, was it?”