Page 24 of Overkill

She wasn’t cold in her delivery; she was almost pensive.

“My husband’s inability to keep it in his pants has diluted what wealth they had, not to mention that each successive generation has managed to be less impressive than the last—not counting my own lovely girls, that is.” She leaned back, crossing her legs at the knees as her skirt rode up her thigh. Intentional without being lewd. “So if you want to find a motive for the Grays, it’s money.”

“Money?” Braun and I looked at the fleur-de-lis accents on the tiled ceiling—they had gold embellishments, for fuck’s sake. And they likely were real gold.

Was the value of money different to them than it was to us mere mortals? Peasants like me and Braun?

I glanced sideways at my boss, and he looked back. We did that Midwest thing of rubbing our palms up and down our thighs to indicate that this was not going great.

“Oh, you two are just precious.” She flicked her thumb to her now-dim ring light. “You think that marrying me was a one-way advantage? No. I make more in an hour of a live than some people do in a month. He married me because I make money. Like most grand old names with generational wealth…” She shrugged. “Each generation tends to be less capable than the last. Until eventually, they end up name-rich but cash-poor. With them, it’s always about the money.”

The wheels turned in my head. Melody getting framed. A big family going after her, targeting her. She was vulnerable, alone, in the dark…

And helpless.

Except for me.

The thought emboldened me.

“That poor, sweet, dumb girl has no idea what she’s up against.” She checked her nails, and my fists clenched. Melody was my sweet girl, and she was anything but dumb. “But I’m sure you honorable men will make sure she’s fine, no?”

It was a dare. But I wasn’t sure why.

She tapped her nose. “Follow the money, gents. I’m sure that’s where you’ll find the answers.”

Chapter 8

Let Me

Melody

He came, just like he said he would. Marcus was trudged out to the driveway, mumbling something about how much he hated school. Miriam spent the morning doing something with the cows before letting them out of the barn to graze for the day, and ran in her work boots.

“Miriam!” I called, her tennis shoes in my hands.

She started running back, and I threw them at her. She caught them, and hopped around on foot to foot, changing her shoes without her socks hitting the dirt. She threw her cow pie covered boots towards the porch. I picked them up and put them by the door, mentally making a note to rinse them off later.

Once the two of them were out of view, Greg’s truck rumbled into the driveway. He was smiling when he got out of his car, meeting me at the base of the steps.

I wondered if I had cow pie on my hands, and self-consciously kept them behind my back.

“You alright?” He reached out and tugged a strand of hair on my face, curling it behind my ear. My heart fluttered, and I held my breath, unwilling to disturb the moment as his bright green eyes dazzled me. They reminded me of the moment I had crested the mountain and entered Mourningkill Valley in all its summer glory; when the sun beat down, almost making the grass and trees glow like something that belonged in a dream.

“I’m fine. Just a late night.” I stifled a yawn.

“Couldn’t sleep?” He looked genuinely worried about my sleeping habits. Did I look that awful?

I wiped at my face, as if I could somehow know what I looked like by feeling the puffy bags under my eyes.

“No, I had to work. Got in a few extra hours so that I could take tonight off.” Whatever happened, I couldn’t bear the idea of getting on the phone with angry customers afterwards. It was too much for one soul to take.

“Right. You work nights.” Not a question. Just a statement. Like he wanted me to know he knew what I did for a living.

“I said farewell to my circadian rhythm months ago.” It was fine. Everything was fine. “I’ve been slowly losing my sanity ever since.”

“Sanity’s overrated.” He winked. And my stupid heart fluttered just a little more, and I melted into my shoes.

I shivered, pulling my shirt tight around me as the cool outside air breezed in.