“I know, honey.” Ronan gave Everly a quick hug. “Let’s get out of here before I change my mind.” He walked into the living room, where Ten and Ezra were reading together. “We’re off.” Ronan crossed his fingers that Ten wouldn’t changehismind at the last minute.
“You remember the code word?” Ten asked, his gaze moving back and forth between Ronan and Everly.
“Ice cream,” father and daughter said together.
“Me, ice keem!” Ezra bolted from his seat beside Ten and ran into the kitchen.
“Oops.” Ronan laughed. They should have made the code word something inedible like couch or cactus.
“Dada!” Ezra shouted. His little feet stomped on the kitchen tiles. “Dada!”
“There are worse things than having a scoop of rocky road at ten in the morning.” Ronan pressed a kiss to Ten’s cheek.
“Yeah, like letting your six-year-old kindergarten psychic go interview a potential wife killer.” Ten kissed Ronan and Everly and headed into the kitchen.
“Pray nothing goes wrong this morning,” Ronan whispered as he and Everly headed out the door.
“It’s gonna be okay, Dad.” Everly offered a grin. She patted his shoulder when Ronan opened the back door to the SUV.
Jude was all smiles when he piled into the back seat with Everly. “Partners.” He held his fist out to her.
“Partners.” Everly knocked his fist with her own as Fitzgibbon climbed into the front seat.
“And we’re off.” Ronan flipped on the blinker and pulled out into the street. “How is everyone this morning?”
“Suffering from withdrawal,” Fitzgibbon answered with a laugh.
“What? Why?” Ronan looked at Everly in the rearview mirror. His daughter was giggling.
“Reese’s eggs,” Fitzgibbon moaned. “Aurora decided she doesn’t like them anymore. So I ate them.Allof them. In one sitting. I need more. We’ll have to stop at the store on the way back so I can get more. Candy should be half off today now that the holiday is over.”
“Really, Uncle Fitz? I bet Aurora would like some M&Ms. I would too!” Everly rubbed her hands together like a cartoon villain hatching a devious plan.
“Oh, no!” Ronan said. “We all had plenty of chocolate yesterday morning and yesterday afternoon and yesterday night. The last thing any of us needs is more chocolate.”
“I don’t even know who you are right now,” Everly said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Uncle Fitz, can you tell me what we know so far about Mr. Fairbanks since my father is being unreasonable at the moment.”
Fitz barked a laugh, which he was quick to cover with a cough. “Marie and Greg Fairbanks were married on August 4, 1966, in Meredith, New Hampshire, which is up on Lake Winnipesaukee. Both of their families were from Haverhill, Massachusetts, and the married couple settled in Salem, where Marie was hired to teach kindergarten. Greg was a fireman in town. After Marie was, um, after she died, Greg sold their house, and he moved back to Massachusetts, where he became a paramedic and got remarried. He and April have been married since 1969 and have two kids and five grandkids. He has been a member of the Peabody School Committee since the early 2000s, after he retired from the fire department.”
“Okay,” Everly mumbled to herself.
“Are you getting anything about him?” Ronan asked.
“Maybe, but I don’t know if it’s my gift or my heart talking to me. I’ll tell you later.” Everly nibbled her bottom lip and stared off into space.
Ronan made a mental note to tell Ten about that little exchange.
“This is it up here on the right.” Fitzgibbon pointed to a navy blue ranch-style house with a riot of colorful tulips blooming in the front garden. Birds swooped in and out of a nearby tree to visit a feeder full of black oil sunflower seeds and a birdbath.
“Wow, what a pretty house,” Everly said, unbuckling herself from her car seat.
“It is nice,” Ronan agreed. He studied Everly in the mirror, trying to decide if she was getting any extra information from the house itself.
“Dad, if I get any messages, I’ll let you know. You don’t have to watch me like an egg getting ready to hatch.” Everly rolled her eyes and hopped out of the SUV. Jude was right behind her. The two of them headed toward the front door and tulip beds.
“She’s got a point,” Fitz said. “You’ve been watching her like a hawk as if you’re expecting her to burst into flames like a mythical phoenix. Treat her the same way you did with Ten when the two of you worked cases together. Everly isn’t a shy kid. If there’s something wrong, she’ll tell you.”
“You’re right,” Ronan agreed easily. He unbuckled himself and got out of the SUV. Everly and Jude were taking selfies with the gorgeous flowers. He wondered if maybe he should add window boxes to the front of the house next spring. It might be interesting to plant bulbs.
