Page 118 of See You Again
“I might know a little about that.” Siobhan cleared her throat. “There is a company here that Bloom Communications wants to partner with. Chris Keller has essentially been running the company for months, now that Matt is playing movies.”
Anne shot her a look. “And?”
Siobhan shrugged. “That’s all I know. I still have friends on the board who keep me informed. Also, it can’t be a coincidence that Declan is coming to Atlanta this week, days before Thanksgiving for meetings.” She made air quotes. “He’s being obnoxiously tight-lipped about it.”
“I still can’t believe Chris betrayed Dec the way he did,” Cara said sadly.
“I trust everyone understands we are telling you this in complete confidence. Cami could get in a lot of trouble for sharing this information.” James stared at his sister.
“Don’t be an ass, James,” his mother reproved. “Of course, no one will say anything. Though someone needs to fill Declan in.”
“I can do that.” Siobhan said.
Luke looked around the table. “Even if we prove Courtney bought thallium, it’s going to be next to impossible to prove she killed him without a confession. Especially since the authorities still insist our father died of natural causes. It’s possible we could petition to freeze the estate if we could get them to change the death certificate to homicide.”
A chill ran up James’s spine at the word. “If we can’t get her convicted, taking the money away would hit her where it hurts. It’s all she ever cared about.”
Next to him, Cami licked her lips. “There might be a way to prove he was poisoned.” She hesitated when everyone stared at her. “There would still be thallium in his body. If you find out what she did with his remains, they could be tested. Thallium even survives cremation.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“I’m sorry if I upset your family. Cara was pretty emotional when we left.”
James flicked on the blinker to signal the exit from the highway. “It’s not your fault. It’s just… unsettling. My father and I weren’t close. In fact, there was a lot of animosity between us… a lot left unsaid.” Under the passing streetlights, the lines around his eyes were more pronounced. “But he was still my father.”
“I understand. I don’t have a relationship with my father or my half-siblings the way you do. At this point, it’s as much my fault as his.”
James turned his head to look at her.
“There are so many years of resentment and anger… but I wonder after hearing about your family’s regrets, if it’s time to have a conversation with him.” Cami blew out a breath. “I don’t know if he even wants a relationship with me.”
James lifted her hand from where it rested in her lap and brought it to his mouth. “Then it’s his loss. Anyone would be lucky to have you in their life,” he said in a low voice, and the butterflies soared when he pressed a warm kiss to the sensitive skin on the back of her hand.
James poured them each a scotch while Cami changed out of her dress and into comfortable sweats. The moment was so reminiscent of their first night that Cami’s blood heated. She’d expected, okay hoped, that when he handed her the glass, he would close the distance between them and kiss her. Instead, James slumped on the sofa next to her, propping his feet up on the coffee table, and ran his hand back through his hair.
“I didn’t expect today to be so exhausting,” he said, taking a swallow.
Almost as if his words manifested it, Cami realized how tired she was. She hadn’t slept well the night before, and between the emotional stress of dealing with her mother and meeting James’s family, Cami felt wrung out. She covered her yawn and then took a sip of her drink. She had just opened her mouth to tell James about the envelope left with her mother, when he suddenly came to his feet.
He brushed a gentle hand over her hair. “I’m going to take a quick shower, and then I think we need to talk.”
Cami gulped at the look on his face but nodded. She heard the shower turn on in his bathroom and was suddenly flooded with nerves. She finished the liquor in one shot and fidgeted with the hem of her sweatshirt.
This is fine. No matter what happens, I’ll be fine.
James’s definition of a short shower wasn’t the same as Cami’s, and as the minutes ticked by, she slouched against the armrest and closed her eyes.
I’ll just rest them for a few minutes, she told herself, letting the combination of exhaustion and alcohol pull her under.
Cami stirred. She was cocooned in something warm and was just about to drift off again when she realized she wasn’t in either her bed or on the sofa. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she realized she was nestled against James’s chest, her hands tucked under her chin and one of James’s heavy legs thrown over her. She smiled at his tousled hair and his relaxed features.
She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. It’s okay, she told herself as she snuggled closer, her chest filling with happiness when his arm tightened holding her close. We can talk in the morning.
Except, when she woke in the morning, James was already gone. He left a note by the coffee maker.
Good Morning Sleeping Beauty,
Snoring is a terrible avoidance tactic. However, you looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you. I have court early and needed to run by the office first. I’ll call you during the first adjournment.