“How long have you been in town?” I asked.
He blinked, but then his grin widened as he retracted his hand. “About a month.”
So he’d arrived shortly before Isabella’s death. “It sounds like you’re very well acquainted with certain individuals in this community despite that.”
“I’m familiar with a few people. Darcy and I, as you might have overhead, have history,” he replied.
“Did you know Isabella?” Better to cut to the chase.
Wickham stared at me for a long moment, but his smile never left his face. “Who?”
“The girl that was killed in the woods on the last full moon.”
Lizzy had been lifting a glass of water to her mouth, but at that, she scowled. “Mary,” she hissed, warning flashing in her eyes. She reached out to set the glass of water down, but it hit the edge of the table and tipped.
George moved, catching the glass before a drop could spill.
Those were quite the reflexes.
“It’s okay, Lizzy.” He rested the cup on the table and touched her shoulder.
A small smile came to her lips, even while she shot me an icy glance intended to get me to back down.
I wouldn’t be backing down.
“I’d never met Isabella in person, though I heard she was killed recently,” George said. “Poor woman. Was she someone close to you?”
He was lying, or at least bending the truth. I possessed proof of his familiarity with Isabella. “It's believed that a creature of the dark ended her.”
“Of the dark… like a werewolf, witch, or vampire?” he listed as if unaware, as if every fae hadn’t been taught since they were children what they were.
But fast reflexes. Wasn’t that a sign of vampires? They could move with inhuman speed. “Exactly.”
Wickham’s amiable smile remained on this face while he turned to Lizzy. “Does your sister go around interrogating each new person she meets?”
“My sister often doesn’t think about people’s feelings before she speaks.” Lizzy glared at me. “Come on, George. We can go to the park. We shouldn’t be interrupted there.” She began gathering up her things.
“Of course.” He stood, shoulders relaxed, not the least put out. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mary.” He faced my sister. “I’ll wait for you by the door.” And with that, he walked casually from the room, as if I hadn’t subtly accused him of being a creature of the dark or a murderer.
Who was that guy? Someone too unfazed by everything for my liking. “Lizzy…”
“How could you accuse him like that?”
“I didn’t accuse him. I only asked a few questions.”
“You practically called him a creature of the dark.” Her eyes flashed. “You don’t even know him.”
“Neither do you, and in case you forgot, there’s a killer on the loose. You need to be careful.”
“And you believe George is the killer?”
“I…” He had an appointment scheduled right before Isabella’s attack. He’d asked for a potion to treat bloodlust. “He could be.”
She snorted.
“Look, I don’t know,” I said. “But I can tell he’s hiding something.”
“Why do you think I’m interviewing him?” she snapped before blowing past me and storming from the room.
