Someone was determined to see him six feet under. Just who wanted him dead? And why?
None of it made any sense.
Chapter
Thirteen
“It has a large kitchen,”Rachel said, pushing aside the drapes to let more light in. “And all new appliances. The owners renovated the kitchen and both bathrooms last year. What do you think?”
Cat liked the house. She’d liked all the homes that Rachel and Winnie had shown her. And yet…
Something had been missing from all of them. She didn’t know what it was, so she couldn’t articulate what she was feeling. All she knew was that while the homes were lovely, she hadn’t yet walked into one and had been able to see herself in it.
“You hate it,” Rachel stated with a sigh. “I can see it in your expression.”
Cat had never had much of a poker face.
“No, I do like it. It’s beautiful, and it has everything that I’m looking for.”
She couldn’t fault Rachel or Winnie. They’d done their job when it came to finding what Cat was looking for in a house.
“But?”
Luckily, Rachel wasn’t angry that all her hard work was for nothing. If anything, she appeared amused at the situation.
“I guess I don’t truly know what I want,” Cat admitted. “You’ve given me everything I’ve asked for. But I don’t know. Something is just missing from these homes, but I don’t know what it is to ask you to find it.”
“We can put off the house hunt, Cat. Take a few weeks or months off. See how you feel later.”
“I’ve never truly connected with any real estate I’ve purchased,” Cat replied, “I’m not sure that I’m the type that is going to fall in love with a house. Not right away. I think it’s going to have to grow on me.”
“Like fungus?” Rachel joked. “Seriously, I don’t want you buying a house that you don’t absolutely love and adore. Homes are too expensive to make a mistake like that. We’ll keep looking. Eventually, you’ll find what you want.”
Cat wasn’t sure what she wanted. She only knew she wasn’t finding it. She was sure that it wasn’t hardwood versus carpet, or open plans, or a finished basement.
“Maybe I’m just not in the mood to buy a house. So much has happened since I moved back to town. Maybe I should slow down a bit. If I’m affected this much, I can only imagine how you feel.”
“I try not to think about it when I’m working,” Rachel said. “I want to stay focused. I’m not going to let this derail me. Whatever happens, Josh and I will face it together.”
“You’re a strong woman,” Cat replied. “I’m not sure I could be so calm and put together in your shoes.”
“I don’t have any other option,” Rachel explained. “I won’t let some asshole try to scare me out of living my life. Fuck him. He doesn’t get to win.”
“Him? Has Finn narrowed down the suspects?”
“I said ‘him’ because I always think of shooters as male. Isn’t it a man’s weapon? And poison is a woman’s?”
“I have heard that,” Cat conceded.
“And I don’t think that I’m all that strong. Josh says that I’m stubborn, and I’ll go with that explanation. I won’t let this ruin my life.”
“I still think you’re strong. And probably stubborn, too.”
Rachel’s gaze wandered to the large picture window that overlooked the manicured backyard. She didn’t reply for the longest time, simply studying the large oak tree that shaded the patio.
“I think Josh is having an affair.”
Of all the things that Cat had expected her to say, this wasn’t it.
