And his award-winning tour writing. But honestly, everything about Lonny seemed legit. I wondered if my boss felt the same way about me? I hadn’t won us any awards, but that might change once I solved this case.
“We heard there was a chance William planned to accept a research position at Boone Hall. Is that true?” Dane asked.
Lonny’s eye twitched. The first crack in his demeanor. “Now where’d you hear a story like that? Because whoever said it is about as sharp as a mashed potato sandwich.”
“So, there’s no truth to it?”
He grinned, getting back to his happy self from earlier. “Absolutely not. William wouldn’t leave his family.”
I wondered if William felt the same? Or did he want to branch out from the family and strike out on his own?
“This has been so informative. Thank you so much for meeting with us. I feel like this gave us great insight into your wonderful operation here and William’s life.” I stood, and the men followed my lead.
Something heavy had settled in the room, and I wanted to get out of it.
Lonny followed us out of his office. “Donna Lee, darlin’, come and meet the reporters.”
Donna Lee, a slender woman with bleached blonde hair, came to stand beside her husband. He looped an arm around her back, and I forced my eyebrows not to lift. Donna Lee was at least four inches taller than her husband. I didn’t judge relationships on height, but then my gaze fell to their matching cowboy boots and belt buckles. These two fit better in Texas than South Carolina.
That was a relationship connection for sure.
Dane made our goodbyes, and I fought for my life so I wouldn’t laugh.
We’d made it to the sidewalk before I asked, “You don’t like cowboy boots. Do you?”
Dane choked on a laugh. “No. You?”
“Never.”
“That was weird. Right?” I turned us left and started the walk back to our place. “He’s totally a suspect.”
Our interview started so well, but something flipped midway. Lonny’s answers became slightly more forced when the conversation turned to William leaving.
“Definitely.”
About twenty minutes later, when the sweat had just settled on the bottom of my breasts, we made it to the condo building.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding. Dane stepped out first, doing a quick sweep of the quiet hallway. I stayed behind out of habit. If the person who broke into my room was there, they needed to meet Dane before me.
Right before the doors closed, I stepped out, rubbing my shoulder. It still hurt from our wild sprint through Charleston last night.
“Next time I have to run after someone through three neighborhoods, I want hazard pay,” I said as I caught up with Dane.
And exercise leggings. For better movement.
Dane laughed but stopped so fast I almost walked directly into him just a few steps from our rooms.
“Um, Delaney?” he whispered and pointed forward.
I stepped around him to see what the hell had him spooked. We should have just run. I glanced up and froze.
A tall guy with dark hair wearing a black suit jacket stood directly in front of my rental door. In his hands he held a bouquet. Red roses. He saw us and narrowed his eyes.
“Who’s this?” Dane asked as he squared his shoulders.
I guess because the man had flowers we weren’t worried about him killing us. There could be a gun in the flowers though, so I stayed behind Dane.
For safety.
