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“It’s possible.” He rested his chin on top of my head. “We don’t know who these people are other than Cassano.”
“I can’t make sense of why someone would’ve—murdered him.” I stumbled over the wordmurder. “With eye drops. If it was the same person who hurt Ash’s owners, it doesn’t fit with the other victims.”
“In an emergency situation, it’s easy to miss clues, but I don’t remember Cassano seeming familiar with the townhouse when we went to the fire.” He scratched his temple.
“Maybe these people didn’t know each other, but the person setting the fires knows all of them.” I racked my brain trying to put together the few clues we had. Even though I had no true connection to any of this, I felt like I did because of Ash.
And the fire in the park felt personal.
“Could be . . .” He released me. “We have about three pieces of information. The locations. There were fires. And there were heart attacks.”
“Why the long faces?” Beau appeared in the doorway in skinny jeans, an oversized sweatshirt, and a long gold necklace. Her version of casual was my dressed up.
“Why aren’t you in the kitchen?” Lincoln stepped behind her.
She wheeled around. “Because I don’t cook.”
“I know that.” He rolled his eyes. “I meant Teague.”
“We just finished feeding the dogs,” Teague said.
“Let’s go upstairs and make sure Miss Adeline hasn’t burned the place down.” I snapped my mouth shut. Suddenly that phrase wasn’t as funny as it had been before.
At the wordupstairs, a pack of dogs raced up the stairs to the apartment.
“Thanks for having us over for dinner,” Beau said. “Hope we’re not throwing off your schedule.”
“Not at all.” I waved her off. “Glad you could make it.” I leaned toward her conspiratorially. “I don’t cook much either.”
She high-fived me. “We can put our feet up and let the boys do all the work.”
“I like that plan,” Miss Adeline said as we piled into the house.
“Remember that grill you gave me for my birthday?” Teague slung an arm around his brother.
“I remember,” he said cautiously.
“I got the box up here. Take off that jacket and tie and grab a screwdriver.”
Lincoln scowled.
It was then I saw the big box by the balcony doors. When had he brought that over?
“I found all the tools you’ll need.” Miss Adeline picked up a box cutter off the kitchen table for emphasis.
Beau dropped into the oversized chair in the living room. “I thought we were eating sometime tonight.” She kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs under her.
“If you helped, this would go faster,” Teague said.
“No it wouldn’t.” Lincoln shrugged off his overcoat and suit jacket and laid them over the back of the couch.
They’d made themselves at home. There was a time I thought I’d feel territorial about that. This was my place with Miss Adeline.
Instead, I found I liked the extra boost of life they added. And somehow, it felt right. We hadn’t opened up our lives to many over the years. We’d never had time. And yet, having these extra bodies here felt completely right. Like home.
“Open the box. I’m going to marinate the chicken.” Teague rummaged through the cabinets.
“I’m not assembling a grill to eat chicken.”
