Clearly, the woman had never met a fop or dandy in her life. “I’m not here to judge someone’s sexual preferences, I’m here to catch a killer,” Avery reminded tersely. “Though it needn’t be said, may I remind you that simply because you wouldn’t want to be with someone so many years your senior doesn’t mean no one would.”
Carys visibly rolled her eyes. “I’m sure Eira’s billions of dollars didn’t hinder that attraction.”
“That does not mean it helped in the equation either.”
“Oh, come on, Inspector. You cannot be this naive. Even if his intentions were pure, that kind of money always factors into the equation.” She leaned forward once more. “And if his intentions were pure, I’ll eat my hat. He wasclearly after something. Not that he got it in the end, but that didn’t stop him from trying. That smug little rat claimed he had no one. Made a big show of it too. You should have seen the way Eira babied him—even more than when Elis was his age.”
“I thought you didn’t socialize with the family,” Avery said flatly.
Carys waved her hand dismissively. “I would see them out. You don’t have to speak for that.” Her eyebrows bobbed knowingly. “Makes you wonder, you know?”
“Wonder what?” Saga asked, wandering back into the room while Avery tried to not look too relieved to see her.
Eager to have a new audience, Carys shifted in her seat toward Saga. “If all his crass talk was a show to cover up for something else. Something far more scandalous.”
“I need you to be specific, Ms. Varney,” Avery pressed, unable to keep the irritation from her voice this time. The magic of her voice unable to focus on Carys, and Carys unable to focus on her own narrative, was becoming increasingly frustrating, and so she’d given up on the charm entirely.
Carys’s expression soured, and her shoulders hunched. She looked chastened. She spoke more plainly, pouting. “After Heath—her husband—passed, Eira lived much of her life in secrecy. That was nearly a quarter of a century ago. Interesting that the boy is around that age too, wouldn’t you say?”
Avery frowned. Was she suggesting Benjamin was actually Eira’s child? It was pure supposition. There was no evidence, no basis. It was a wild theory in the dark.
“You thinkI’mangry about getting nothing? I’m sure a secret love child would be a lot angrier to only end up with an unfashionable drafty condo he can’t even sell. Especially with all that property that was otherwise available? If he’s a direct descendant like Elis, he’s entitled to half that estate.”
This was just more idle gossip crafted from a bored mind. “It would certainly present a strong motive—if it were true.” Avery inhaled slowly. Was Carys deliberately wasting their time, or was she just incredibly lonely?“Is there any solid reason or evidence you have to believe the nature of their relationship wasn’t what it appeared to be? Any proof that it wasn’t sexual—or even romantic? The woman would have had to give birth when she was in her sixties.”
Carys shrugged unhelpfully. “Did anyone ever see them together? I don’t remember ever even seeing them hold hands.”
“When we spoke he was extremely forward about sharing about her sexual appetite.”
Saga’s nose visibly scrunched in discomfort.
“He wasalwayslike that—to anyone who would listen, I’m told,” said Carys.
“Whotold you?” Avery asked wearily knowing she wouldn’t get an answer.
“I’ve known boys like him, Inspector.” It sounded like a boast. “And in my experience, all that talk usually means nothing is happening at all.”
Saga spoke up. “She does have a point there. Does smack a little of ‘the lady doth protest too much.’”
Looking again like the excited gossip, Carys turned in her chair to Saga. “Did she even bring him to your wedding?”
Saga paused. “No. In fact I hadn’t even heard about him until Leigh told me recently.”
Avery met Saga’s eyes pointedly. She spoke slowly, hoping the gravity in her tone would get her message across. “Do you have any reason to believe weshouldn’tfollow this lead?”
Understanding, Saga shook her head, indicating she hadn’t found anything relevant to the case in her search. “No.”
Avery thought back to her original conversation with the young man. He was overly forward, eager to talk. Possibly too eager. Could Carys actually be right? Was this to throw them offtrack? “Funny how willing he was to tell everyone’s dirty little secrets…except his own.”
“Do you happen to have the address of that unsellable drafty condo?” asked Saga.
Chapter 24
Saga
As the pair made their way outside, Saga glanced back, wondering if her shoes were leaving footprints in the dust she’d found layered over nearly every surface in the house. It was of course disturbed in many places, but it hadn’t been eradicated in quite some time. There was at least one bedroom of the eight she’d found that was cleaned (though she used that term generously) regularly enough that Saga could believe someone lived there.
She was more careful where she stepped through the grounds, far more aware of the sprawling thornbushes and tangled vine-like flora that had been given unguided reign. Still, she found herself lightly gripping the sleeve of Avery’s coat for balance just in case. She glanced back over her shoulder at the crumbling manor, wondering what it might have looked like when it was still maintained. It must have been hundreds of years old. It probably would have been preserved by the city if the proper steps had been taken to make it a landmark… Though she imagined taking those steps would have required Carys Varney to swallow her pride, and as far as she could tell, the woman was significantly more inclined to swallow dust than what she perceived to be her pride.
