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They desperately wanted to find the queen’s murderer. Macey didn’t blame them and would do everything in her power to help. She asked about the queen’s cell phone. It hadn’t been found yet, and they’d had divers search the bottom of the lake. She needed to deep dive research on anyone and everyone associated with the queen or the castle.
Ray had a dimple in his right cheek. Tristan didn’t. She remembered how that dimple deepened when he’d smiled at her. His smile was irresistible.
They had no evidence pointing at anyone inside or outside of Augustine as the murderer, but the men adamantly refused to believe it was suicide. She wanted to agree with them, but had to keep an open mind, especially with no suspects presenting themselves.
Ray clenched his hands into fists when he was thinking. Tristan steepled his fingers against his lips. Ray’s hands had produced tingles and warmth when they’d touched her waist, her back, her arm. Tristan touching her had felt like any of her buddies from Sutton’s.
Prince Tristan was being threatened as well. Two weeks ago, notes printed on cardstock had started being found daily in different places in Greenville—on a bench, under a restaurant’s door, stuck to a light post, pinned on a message board, etc.
THE CROWN PRINCE WILL DIE
MURDERED IN HIS OWN BED
BY A FORCE WITHIN THE CASTLE WALLS
--THE ENFORCER
The threats were another reason they wanted her here, another layer of protection with a good excuse to stay close to the crown prince. No one believed one of their staff could threaten the beloved crown prince, but the queen’s sudden, unexplained death made them wonder.
They also wanted to show their people that Tristan was not cowed by the threats, or the risk of his young bride dying by an archaic curse, and was moving forward with his life, giving the royal family and the entire kingdom some happy news. They would claim Macey and Tristan had met at a party of Sutton’s, mostly courted through FaceTime and texting, only spending one weekend together. Only the five people in this meeting knew that wasn’t true. So the pressure was on to put up a good show and definitely not be making eyes at her fiancé’s twin.
Ray seemed to care very deeply for his twin. Did he feel guilty for kissing her because of the fake fiancé thing? She put her fingers to her lips, and Ray’s gaze darted to her. She sucked in a breath as the true blue of those eyes lit a fire deep inside her.
“Thank you for trusting us to help,” Sutton said, closing his laptop, storing it in the bag, and standing. Everyone else stood as well. “I’ll see what research we can do from our computer center and with my connections, but you have my most brilliant researcher right here.” He smiled at Macey.
Macey smiled back, not letting herself look at Ray. Was it her fault she could still see him out of the corner of her eye? Had there ever been a man as intriguing as him? Maybe getting out of Sutton’s basement was a brilliant idea. If only she hadn’t kissed him. It might not have mattered. Simply being in the same room as him made her skin tingle. She was mesmerized by the wrong brother.
Sutton shook each of their hands and then gave her a brief hug while the men all seemed to stare at them. “Brave, bold, and beautiful,” he whispered to her.
She wanted to tell him she’d tried that—she’d kissed Ray, and now she was losing her mind. But she simply hugged him back and said, “I’m all over it, boss.”
“I know you are.” He looked her over and lowered his voice even more. “Everyone else could be blinded in their own way. See everyone with a suspicious eye. Our very own Hercule Poirot.”
Macey grimaced. No pressure. She wasn’t naturally suspicious like Agatha Christie’s character, but Sutton clearly saw what she was beginning to suspect. This kingdom was very tight-knit, trusted each other, and didn’t want to suspect those they knew and loved.
“Got it,” she whispered back.
He released her and raised a hand to the royals. “It was an honor to meet each of you.”
“I’ll walk you out,” King Nolan said.
“Brilliant.”
The king and Sutton walked out. Ray glanced at Macey but looked away quickly when his brother grinned at him. “Usually everyone’s enamored with the king, but I think Dad has a man crush on Sutton.”
“Can you blame him?” Macey asked. “Sutton’s like Daniel Craig as James Bond, only tougher, wealthier, more charming, and with the most beautiful and benevolent woman in the world as his wife.”
Both men chuckled.
“You’re right,” Ray said. “Sutton’s impressive.”
Macey was impressed with herself for being bold and speaking up. She was impressed with Ray for far too many reasons, and his kissing ability was high on the list.
“So, Macey,” Tristan said, looking her over, but not in a checking her out kind of way. It felt more brotherly, a look Gage would give her. “Tell us more about yourself.”
Macey snuck a glance at Ray. “Um … what do you want to know?” Bold, brave … she wasn’t.
Think of them as two of Sutton’s ops. You talk to those men every day.
