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“That’s right,” I said, watching her closely. She appeared to have paled a few shades. She knew she was caught red-handed. Good.
“Mr. Buchanan. So nice to meet you,” she said after a stilted moment where I watched her gather herself. The words came out in a rush and I narrowed my eyes at her as she pushed the glasses up her pert nose and I took her hand, enveloping it in mine. It was ice-cold.
“Aurora, was it?” I asked, giving her a wry tip of my lips. “Castle, you said? A regal choice for an alias. What brings you to town, Ms. Castle?”
“Gage!” My mother let out a short, embarrassed-sounding laugh. “What’s gotten into you?”
I ignored my mother and Rory cleared her throat as she attempted to pull her hand away, but I gripped it more tightly. What in the hell was she playing at here? Was she some kind of scam artist? Had she weaseled her way into a job that would provide her access to the attics of wealthy estate owners? And how and why had her grift brought her here? “No alias. And please, call me Aurora.” She gave her hand a yank and I let it go, causing her to have to take a step back to keep herself from tumbling over.
I raised a brow as she shot a slightly panicked look over at Faith who was staring in confusion. “Hi, Faith,” I said. “Nice to see you.”
“Gage,” Faith greeted, the small frown tipping into a smile. Her gaze moved down my half-naked body. “You look…very well.”
“Oh, I am,” I said, looking back at Rory. “Very well. And I believe we’ve met before.”
Rory let out a tinkling laugh that faded quickly as she shook her head. “No, I’m absolutely sure we—”
“Yes, the more I look at you, the more certain I am.” I took my bottom lip into my mouth momentarily, casting my eyes upward as though recalling. “Are you by chance…” I clasped my hands behind my back and circled her slowly. “Of any relation at all to the Buffalobeams?”
She let out a small snort and then covered her mouth with two fingers. I faced her again, narrowing my eyes. Little liar. Beautiful little liar. I wanted to shake her and kiss her and I was so damn happy to see her and pissed off at the same time. Disappointed. Angry. Confused. She dropped her hands and shook her head. “No. No relation to the…Buffalobeams.”
“She looked familiar to me too,” my mother said. “Aurora is from New York, so perhaps we saw her in passing at some event when we were there to visit Lexi. In any case, it’s too bad Lexi just left or I’d have introduced you to her, Aurora. You never can have too many friends, am I right?”
Rory bobbed her head enthusiastically like my mother had just made the most inspirational statement ever uttered.
Faith stood. “Well, Aurora. We should go. We have that other…appointment at…” She glanced at her wrist and seemed almost surprised to see it was completely devoid of any time-telling device. “Well, soon.”
“Digging around in more attics?” I practically growled.
Aurora let out another thin laugh devoid of any humor. “One never knows what treasures might be gathering dust right under one’s own roof.”
“Mm. And you’re here to uncover those treasures for just such a person? I wonder what you get out of the deal exactly. Perhaps looking to hijack as many family jewels as possible?” I said, my jaw tight.
“Gage!” my mother said again. “How much have you had to drink? You’re not acting like yourself.” She stood and came over to me and leaned in as though to investigate the strength of the alcohol on my breath.
Faith and Rory took the opportunity to scoot past both me and my mother, Faith picking up the small stack of paintings near the door. “Thank you again, Mrs. Buchanan,” Faith called. “I’ll be in touch.”
Rory shot me one last flustered—but also somewhat defiant—look before practically running out the door behind Faith.
Oh no you don’t.
My mother held me back by placing her palm on my forehead, her second thought after me potentially being drunk was obviously that I was feverish. She let out what sounded like a relieved breath. “Yes, you definitely feel warm,” my mother was saying. “And your neck is all flushed!”
I turned, attempting to follow the two shysters out the door. Faith was obviously in on this too. Their connection wasn’t yet clear. And again, why here? Was it simply the wealth of this community that had drawn her? Too bad for her that I knew her real identity. Or did I? Had that been some sort of cover too? Did she just move from town to town working when she needed to and thieving when she could? My mother’s hand clamped down on my arm “I’m going to call your father and tell him you’re unwell. Your manners are always perfect. I knew something was wrong. Take a sick day tomorrow. No work for you, Mister.”
“Mom. I’m fine. I’ve gotta go.” I’ve gotta catch a lying little thief.
The pit of disappointment deepened. She was a fake. A phony. A fraud. And yet, that night in Mud Gulch had felt like the realest thing I’d experienced in years. Maybe ever. What a blind fool I was.
“Absolutely not. I’ll have Florence make you a bowl of soup and—”
I pulled my arm as gently as I could, her hand falling away. “Mom, I’m fine. Honestly. I’ll call you later.” I offered her a smile that felt strangely stretched and the way she drew her head back told me I’d missed the reassuring smile mark and instead landed somewhere in the territory of Pennywise the Clown. “Bye, Mom. I love you!”
“I love you too, darling. Aren’t you going to get dressed?” she called, a note of clear confusion in her voice, as I raced through the foyer as fast as I could in a snug towel tied around my waist. I flung the front door open and ran down the steps, but Faith’s car was already halfway down the long drive and moving quickly away. I thought about racing after it. I’d been a track star in high school and college and was still in great shape. Amazing shape, actually. I could definitely catch up, especially where the road narrowed near—
What the hell is wrong with you, Buchanan?
I paused, huffing out the breath I’d pulled in in preparation for takeoff. You’re seriously considering chasing down a woman in a car like some hound dog? Who are you?
