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A special bowl? If ever there was a marrying man… Her chest clenched again.
Okay, time to get the conversation moving in another direction. “Are you going to knock any of these walls down?” she asked as he led her from the foyer, past the dining room and through the living area. They entered the kitchen.
“I know open concept is popular, but I prefer keeping the original architecture.”
“Agreed.”
He’d retained the glass knobs on the cabinets and the stained-glass inserts featuring red tomatoes and green peppers.
She traced a verdant green vine on the wallpaper with her fingertip. “And this. It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with the house before you bought it.”
“Same.”
Conrad had refreshed the paint, restored the floors, and replaced the laminate counter with granite. The classic lines of the cabinetry would never require updating. Other than a new stainless steel refrigerator, the ancient appliances stayed in place.
The window seat in the corner only needed hand sewn decorative pillows and–
Nope. When she decorated for him, and she would, she would pick what he liked. Not her. Because she would never live here. Never become mistress of Ryan Manor.
He crossed to the cabinet with a gorgeous artisanal tile backsplash, withdrew the bowl, and passed it to Jane. The name Rolex was scripted in the center, making it a treasure beyond price.
“You are amazing, Conrad,” she offered softly.
“Am I forgiven for the flyer?”
“No,” she said, and he laughed. “But I’m thrilled to tell you the design has been adjusted and fresh copies ordered.”
“Too bad,” he replied with a (manly) pout.
Ignoring the flutter in her veins, she prepared her darling feline’s meal and steered the conversation back to the case. “Did Deputy Gunn have a reason to think he’d been marked for death? Other than those creepy letters, I mean.”
Remembering when she’d been marked for death, she shuddered. Was Gunn followed as he’d believed? His vehicle tampered with? Strange graffiti appearing on his stuff?
“Barrow and I read notes made by the oversight investigators hired by Sheriff Moore. Gunn reported someone stole his sunglasses, motorcycle and golf clubs. He also said his back door was unlocked every morning, after he was sure to lock it each night.”
Hmm. “Someone might have been toying with him.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Okay, how awesome was this? Here they were, discussing a case in the open, like any normal couple. “What did the deputy do when the investigators found no evidence of a stalker?”
“Stopped filing reports.”
“Because it did him no good, or because he hoped to find the culprit on his own and exact revenge?” By filing additional reports, he would’ve created a much clearer legal trail, making himself a top suspect if something happened to the perpetrator.
“It’s possible he went rogue, which is very on brand for the citizens of Aurelian Hills.” Electric blues crackling with humor, he tweaked her nose. “You hungry?”
“Starved,” she admitted. Earlier, she’d been too wrapped up in the interview and too nervous about this move-in to enjoy more than that solo sausage ball. By the time her stomach calmed, she’d been too busy deciding what to pack. With her snack cake of a boyfriend at her side, the world felt right, which frightened her. Just not enough to curb her appetite again.
He led her from the kitchen, passing by the barstools salvaged from his old apartment. They stopped at the built-in buffet in the dining room. Two plates, glasses of sweet tea and sets of silverware waited with a feast. The rich, savory scent of chicken, vegetables and spices teased her nose, but it was the yeasty aroma of freshly baked bread that truly made her mouth water.
Her pulse raced extra fast when she noted where the decadent morsels came from. “You went to Daisy’s.” Only Jane’s most favorite diner in all the land, famous for their chicken noodle soup. The lump in her throat returned and expanded, nearly cutting off her airway.
Conrad distracted her by doling out the meal and leading her to the couch to eat. “How’d your meeting with Hugh Garfield go? As well as ours?”
Between bites and sips, she described the interaction. “He’s cranky, bordering on hostile, but devoted to his wife’s memory, which is kind of sweet.”
“Yeah, the same as ours,” Conrad confirmed.
“If it helps, I don’t think he’s our guy. I’m not sure he would survive a walk to and from the deputy’s house to secretly dose a mug or bag of coffee grounds. But. I haven’t ruled out his kids. Do you happen to know their names?”
“Ken and Barbie. And no, I’m not kidding. Speaking of children, the deputy has them, too, all adults. Two sons, Charlie and Ralph, and a daughter, Madeline. The ex-wife of eight years, who lives in California, says he’s estranged from each of them.”
Ohhh. New names for Jane’s list. “Was the deputy romantic with anyone?”
