“Like Juan? Juan was our head security guy. No, that doesn’t make sense either.The only thing that makes sense is that everyone up here goes crazy,” Kurt mutteredbitterly.
“I think that’s what the Lucys are saying,” Walker said in amusement. “But the cover up could go further back than Juan. Was Francois here when your fatherdied?”
Kurt glared at him. “You mean, whenyourfather was killed? Francois would have been here, yes. He’s the son of a cook my familyemployed in the city. He was unambitious then, and he hasn’t improved with age. But he can drive a car, and he’ll do anything for my mother. I doubt that even she could persuade him to dirty his hands and lift a weapon heavy enough to crack askull.”
Walker nodded agreement. “Yeah, he sounds like a victim more than someone who takes action. You might want to send a lawyer to be with himwhen they questionhim.”
Running his hand through his hair, Kurt nodded. “Thanks. That’s something I cando.”
Walker shook hands and walked off. Kurt Kennedy was a man who liked tight control over all aspects of his life. A murder investigation on his doorstep had to be driving him around the bend... right along with the Lucys, he thought inamusement.
Sam was right. Theyneeded a better definition ofcrazy.
“They’re bringing Valdis home,”Mariah murmured as she tied on her apron and passed Sam behind the counter. “She and Daisy will be staying with Cass tonight so they can be sure she’s stable. Don’t spread the wordyet.”
Sam thought she ought to ask why not, but sometimes it was safer to see for herself.Around here, everything was subject to interpretation. Did she really want to make Hillvale herhome?
Alan Gump came in for lunch with a group of men in business suits. It seemed odd not to see Xavier’s green jacket in the crowd, but Sam did as the others had warned her earlier and didn’t speak to theasshat.
The burly real estate mogul in his designer suit behaved as if she didn’texist, and that was fine too. Bringing the group their drinks, she heard them talk of access roads and engineers. She really needed to see that trust fund document Walker claimed existed. She should have the lawyer handling her parents’ estate look atit.
Maybe she ought to have a will drawn upfirst.
Where that had stray thought comefrom?
Feeling restless and uneasy, fearingHillvale might be starting to get to her, Sam hurriedly cleaned up the counter and tables after the lunch rush. “I want to talk to Cass about her roses,” she told Dinah as she tugged off herapron.
“Take some of those sandwiches with you,” Dinah called. “You may need to feed that man ofyours.”
Her man? Sam smiled and took the sandwiches, but the notion of having a man of her own—wasa little unsettling. Of course, she was in a nervous mood anyway. She conjured up a memory of Walker’s bronze visage, wicked smile, and cowboy hat, and felt a warm rush that steadiedher.
By the time she put the food in the studio refrigerator, showered, and grabbed her walking stick, Mariah was already sitting with Cass and Valdis on the Victorian front porch. Valdis had her bandaged footpropped on a cushioned wicker stool with an ice pack onit.
“Where’s Daisy?” Sam took the seat on a wicker settee Cass indicated and accepted a glass of whatever they were drinking—spiked punch from the taste of it. She could be generous and call it sangria since orange slices wereinvolved.
“She’s back at the farm, making more lamassu.” Valdis didn’t seem any worse for her ordeal.The black gown she wore looked as if it belonged in a Spanish Doña painting—all black embroidery and heavy rustling damask. She’d thrown her veil off her face so she could sip from her glass. All the black made her fair complexion even paler and the scar on her jaw morelivid.
Sam searched for some sign of the beautiful woman from Lance’s portrait, but Valdis had done all she could to eraseher past, even using dark eye make-up to enhance the paleness of her fair skin. After the prior night’s ranting, though, she seemed almostnormal.
“How are you feeling?” Samasked.
“I’m fine, thank you,” Valdis said politely. “How did you find me? I thought my time hadcome.”
“Harvey’s walking stick.” She ought to feel like an idiot admitting that, but oddly, a dowsing rodthat found people made insane sense here. “It would have been a lot easier if I’d been told earlier that your parents weren’t in thecemetery.”
Mariah looked surprised. Cassdidn’t.
Valdis shrugged. “Their spirits belonged in the land they polluted. Their mortal remains are irrelevant. They were both cremated and their ashes scattered on BaldRock.”
“It’s no matter,” Casssaid, passing a tray of shortbread cookies. “What matters is who else knows that Sam is an Ingersson? The name alone makes you a threat to theNulls.”
“I wish everyone would quit calling them that,” Sam said irritably, probably because she shivered at the perceived threat. “Name calling does not lead to rationaldiscussion.”
“Sorry, a bad habit, you’re right. But the land destroyedus before and will do so again, unless we exercise caution.” Cass rocked in a golden Bentwood rocker piled with redpillows.
“Explain why being an Ingersson is a bad thing?” Mariah asked from her seat on the steps. She worked one of her nets as theytalked.
Valdis remained silent. Cass looked to Sam and asked, “You know, don’t you? That nosy cop of yours knowseverything.”
