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As if that would be enough to make memurderhim. “Right, because anytime somebody has a tiff with somebody, they obviously start killing,” I said, eyeing them coldly. To their credit, they looked a little sheepish. “I was just nervous that someone would figure out that Ridge and I were secretly engaged, and then he put his hands on me. I didn’t like that a stranger, and a deputy at that, grabbed my arm. So, of course I got snippy.”
Both women appeared chastised.
“Do you know why the deputy was in the bar in the first place?” I asked.
The Magpies shared a look, then Maggie Hill leaned closer to me and lowered her voice. “We don’t know specifically, but if we had to make a bet, it would have something to do with the Greenthornes or that friend of yours.”
I scrunched my nose and cocked my head. “Which friend are you talking about?” It wasn’t like I had a lot of them.
“Everyone knows Margo went through that nasty breakup with Phil just a few weeks before his death. Who knows what could have happened with all the drama there?”
Margo and Deputy Hill? Seriously? That was news to me. Margo hadn’t said anything about dating him, but I didn’t believe for one minute that she’d hurt him, let alone kill him. Margo was too kind and sweet for that. There was absolutely no possibility.
And now that I’d discovered people thought Margo could have done this, I had an even bigger resolve to find out who committed the crime. I wouldn’t let anyone think it was Margo. I made a mental note to talk to her later and get to the bottom of what had happened there.
Not wanting any more focus on Margo, I switched up the conversation. “Audrey showed up when I did, and Mr. Greenthorne appeared shortly after. Do you think any of the Greenthornes could have done it? Which one?”
Both women snickered, then Mrs. Hill spoke up. “Take your pick, Tori. The sordid secrets concerning that family and the bar would make reality TV salivate for the rights to their lives.”
I was about to ask about the secrets, but the other Maggie intervened.
“It’s hardly anything we should share, but it’s no wonder why that family is in counseling with the skinny, freckled psychiatrist girl. That girl would have to pull off a miracle to even remotely aid that family. There’s not enough money and time in the world for them to work through their issues.”
That only intrigued me more. What secrets did that family have? And what did it have to do with the bar and Deputy Hill?
The diner started getting busier again, and my time to question the Magpies was over—for now, at least. The Magpies left before I could get another chance to talk with them. The good thing was that I knew where to find them easily. Even if I had to come into the diner on my day off, I would. Anything to get more information from them.
For the rest of my shift, I thought about Margo and why she never told me she’d dated the deputy. Margo liked to poke into my relationship with Ridge, so it was only fair for me to poke into hers with the murder victim. It would have been nice to know he was her ex.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted to face Margo first or snoop around town for more information about the Greenthornes and their secrets. If the breakup had been recent, then Margo was grieving, and there would be a lot to unpack. Not being the best person to offer comfort, I decided to give her some space.
It was still light out when my shift ended. I didn’t want to return to the manor in case Ridge happened to be there in all his annoyingly compelling ways. My skin wasn’t thick enough yet to resist him, and it would be easier to stay away for a bit since we were alone in that colossal mansion.
I couldn’t believe I’d wished he was a little more pompous and had staff so I could have interference. But of course, he was down-to-earth and self-sufficient, another sexy attribute that infuriated me.
Out of nowhere, an arm slung around my shoulders, and my wolf growled loudly inside my head. This wasn’t Ridge; my wolf and I were always well-aware of him when he was close. I looked to the side, and my throat dropped into my stomach and coiled into disgust.
Zander Elkins held me with way too much familiarity. His breath smelled strongly of alcohol, so much so that I was afraid I’d get drunk off the fumes. I struggled to escape his hold, but he tightened his embrace and lowered his head until his mouth was mere inches from mine.
“You want to go for that run now?”
I gagged, fighting a wave of nausea. My wolf growled again, wanting to get her claws into him. His touch made me physically sick. I jabbed my shoulder into his underarm, hoping to shove him off me, but he just laughed and gripped me even tighter.
“If you didn’t grasp how not interested I was while you were sober, you sure as hell won’t pick up on it now when you’re shit-faced. Get lost before you really piss me off.”
I had the bravado and the anger to rage, but I was tired of this wolf thinking he could have a piece of me, that I was just to be the little woman. Zander swayed and laughed simultaneously, so drunk he couldn’t stand up straight.
“If you’re so worried about ruining your engagement to the mayor, you shouldn’t be. None of that human engagement fluff holds water with us shifters. Shifters are either mated or they aren’t, and right now, you and Mr. Mayor aren’t. So, far as I’m concerned, you’re fair game and can run around with whoever you want.”
As if I would choose to be with this sloppy drunk.
He wrapped his other arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest, ignoring my squirming. I was sickened that he wasn’t trying to be quiet about it, either.
The people walking around were eyeing us. I didn’t want to embarrass Ridge and cause him more problems, and this sorry excuse for a man was doing exactly that. Ridge was right, as always. Zander kept trying to stir up drama and trouble between humans and shifters.
“Get your fucking paws off me,” I gritted out between my teeth, pushing at his chest, but he hugged me so tight that I couldn’t get the leverage I needed. Even though he was two sheets to the wind, he was still bigger and stronger.
I wouldn’t let panic set in because we were still in the middle of town in a public place, and I did not want the wolf to take control. I couldn’t shift here. I didn’t want to shift, period, but I didn’t have the right amount of control when I was angry and scared. I tried to rationalize to myself that I shouldn’t be afraid.
