Page 80 of A Little Taste

“Wednesday, and it is notalleged. My daughter and her hound were here checking out the scene. Birgitte can verify it.”

Aiden inhales deeply, crossing his arms, and I feel dizzy. He still won’t look at me.

“Where is Stan Roswell now?”

“If I knew that, you wouldn’t be here.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

My mother slaps her hand on the table and stands. “Stan Roswell is behind all of this. He probably killed Gary, and I’m more convinced than ever he killed Lars. I don’t know what he’s after, but you should stop wasting time with me and start searching for the real criminal.”

Aiden lowers his arms, but the fury hasn’t left his features. “I’m not putting you under arrest, but you are definitely a person of interest. Don’t leave town.”

I’m right behind him. He has to take me with him. We have to talk.

Mom calls after us, “Don’t blow another murder, Sheriff Stone. If your father had investigated my husband’s death thoroughly, Gary Blue might still be alive.”

Aiden turns on his heel at the door, eyes blazing past me. “If you’d come to me when all this started instead of sneaking around, Gary Blue might still be alive.”

With that, he turns and slams the door. I grab the handle, pulling it open and running after him.

“Aiden, wait.” My voice is breathless. “Please.”

His truck door is open when he stops, and I blink fast to keep the tears out of my eyes. This hurts so badly.

“You lied to me.” It’s a flat accusation.

“No! It wasn’t like that!” I reach out to put my hand on his arm, but I stop, pulling it back and crossing my arms over my waist. “I told her I was going to tell you. I was on my way to tell you, but she begged me to give her time. I know, it sounds bad, but she said it was connected to my dad… She said she would give us the suspect, and I thought if it would help us—”

“So you chose your mother over telling me the truth.” His voice is so angry, my chin drops in defeat. “Did your mother kill Gary?”

“No!” I shake my head. “She would never do something like that. She’s odd, but she’s not a killer.”

“How do you know?” His jaw tightens, and when his stormy eyes finally meet mine, I see pain there. It slices me in two. “Why should I believe you? I thought you were different from them, but you’re not.”

“I am!”

“When it suits your purpose.”

“That’s not true. She’s my mother, and I wanted to give her a chance. She said…” I can’t even say it.

She won’t put dad’s death behind her, and neither will I.

Exhaling slowly, he looks into his truck. “I lived with a woman who lied to me for six years. I’m not doing it again.”

“Aiden, please.” My chest collapses as I watch him climb into the cab. “Don’t go.”

“I can’t see you anymore.” He slams the door and starts the engine.

Trembling hands cover my mouth as he backs out of the driveway without another word. My legs weaken, and I lower to my knees watching his tail lights disappear. Red dots turn to red smudges as the tears flood my eyes, as the water rises past my neck.

I’m right where I started, in a straitjacket and drowning.

CHAPTER23

AIDEN

“Ican’t work with her, Edna. She withheld critical information about the case, which resulted in a man’s death.” It’s Monday morning, and I’m sitting across from the mayor in her office with the door shut.