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“Rogue dear, you need to come to Louisville for lunch,” Lucinda was saying as Rogue led them to their table. “We could have a girls’ day out. Go shopping. ”
Wild violet eyes turned on Zeke as Lucinda turned her back on Rogue. Zeke wanted to smile, hell, he wanted to laugh. She looked horrified at the prospect.
“We could gossip,” Lucinda stated smugly as she glanced at Zeke. “Girl talk. ”
“I’ll have to check my calendar, Lucinda,” she answered, though Zeke swore she looked a little pale at the invitation. “Janey keeps me pretty busy. ”
“Well, I could have a talk with Janey. ” Lucinda stared up at her victim complacently.
“You could even bring her with you. I never got a chance to get to know that girl. Her brother though, now he was a wild one. Somerset lost a fine bachelor when he married that agent of his. ”
“Yes, I definitely agree,” Rogue agreed hurriedly. “I’ll send Janey out to you as soon as possible. You can discuss it with her. Though Alex does keep her fairly busy. ”
Hell. Wrong statement, Zeke thought as he took his seat and saw the satisfaction on Lucinda’s face.
“Yes, a good man will keep you very busy,” Lucinda agreed. “Tell me, Rogue, who was the brute that left that charming little mark beneath your jaw?” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I hadn’t heard you were dating, dear. ”
“I’m not. ” Rogue cleared her throat. “It was an accident with my curling iron. ” She twirled a curl nervously as she lied with zero guilt and a charming smile. “Nature isn’t always perfect. If you’ll excuse me now, Tabitha needs help. ”
Rogue escaped, leaving Zeke to stare across the table at his aunt while Shane fought to hold back his laugher.
“I’m going to assume you have a reason for torturing Rogue,” he stated.
Lucinda’s eyes widened. “I wasn’t torturing Rogue, dear. I was merely chatting. ” She looked to Shane. “Was I torturing the child?”
Shane shifted in his seat, glared at his father, and cleared his throat. “Maybe some,” he finally admitted, before Zeke received another of the boy’s accusing stares. “Maybe you should torture the guy that left the mark. ”
Lucinda sighed. “If only I could learn for certain who did such a thing,” she said calmly.
“Why, I called everyone I knew since first learning of it this morning. Didn’t you hear me on the cell phone, dear?”
“I did. ” Shane ran his hand over his shortened dark brown hair. “Hours’ worth, Aunt Lucinda. ”
“Exactly. ” Lucinda sighed. “And the only man that she’s even been known to speak with for longer than a few minutes was your father. ” She turned innocent eyes on Zeke.
“You talked to her last night about her cousins’ deaths, didn’t you?”
“Yes. ” Zeke answered cautiously. Damn Lucinda, she was like a shark on the scent of blood.
“Did she mention who she was dating?” Supreme innocence filled his aunt’s face. The look was frightening.
“Nope, and I didn’t ask her. ”
He’d simply more or less ordered her not to consider dating anyone. He couldn’t conceive the thought of Rogue in another man’s bed. In the years she had been in Somerset, there had always been talk, especially after those pictures surfaced, but nothing serious.
“Not that I’m sure it matters. ” Lucinda shrugged.
“Meaning?” Zeke was nearly pushing the words past his lips now. What the hell was Lucinda up to? Hell, she was dangerous. He should introduce her to that Homeland Security special agent, Timothy Cranston; Aunt Lucinda could teach him a thing or two about interrogation.
“Wrong question,” Shane muttered as Lucinda smiled again. That smile was known to make grown men whimper.
“Well, after those horrible pictures. ” She sighed. “Well, a man has to be careful, doesn’t he?”
Zeke drew in a long, careful breath as Tabitha moved toward them. The waitress carried menus, and behind her one of the young waiters was bearing ice water.
“Aunt Lucinda,” he said softly. “We don’t want to continue this conversation. ”
“Oh. ” Her eyes widened. “Of course not, dear. Is she a very good friend of yours as well now?”
