A Deadly Edition by Victoria Gilbert

Author:Victoria Gilbert
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CROOKED LANE BOOKS

Chapter Sixteen

Scott never returned Thursday evening, which left Aunt Lydia and me stirring food around our dinner plates, pretending not to worry.

“He’s a grown man,” my aunt said. “If he wants to go off somewhere without telling us, I suppose that’s his prerogative.”

“But it isn’t like him not to call. I mean, I’m not around him much these days, but I never remember him being impolite. Especially not to someone who’s housing and feeding him, free of charge.” I recognized the sharp tone that had crept into my voice and cleared my throat. “Anyway, I’m done eating. If you are as well, let me help you clean up, and then maybe we can watch that music program you recorded from PBS. We shouldn’t let this ruin our evening.”

Of course, it did anyway. To the point where we both went to bed early. Not that I slept much—I sat up in bed every time I heard anything that sounded like a car.

Friday morning, with Scott still absent and no messages on either of our phones, my concern turned to anger. Observing the strain on Aunt Lydia’s face, I decided to give my brother a good talking to the next time I saw him.

“The least he could do would be to leave a message, just saying he’s okay,” I told Sunny as we stood behind the library circulation desk later that morning.

“I agree, but what can you do?” Sunny flicked her long golden braid behind her shoulder. “Young men tend to be thoughtless when it comes to stuff like that.”

“Scott isn’t that young. He’s thirty-three, for heaven’s sake.”

“For a guy, that’s still early on the ‘how to be a decent human’ learning curve,” Sunny said, her smile fading as she added, “And some apparently never learn. Take Fred, for example. Or rather, don’t.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, turning to examine her face. “Did you guys have a fight?”

“No. Not yet, anyway,” Sunny said grimly. “But we probably will next time I run into him.” She inhaled an audible breath. “I found out he’s the one who put the sheriff’s department on Scott’s trail. I mean, he actually told me that he’d uncovered some information that linked Scott to Oscar Selvaggio. Can you imagine?”

“When was this?”

“Just last night. I guess he’d already shared the discovery with the authorities, and that’s why Brad showed up yesterday evening asking you and Lydia for information on Scott’s whereabouts.”

“Well, to play devil’s advocate, it is Fred’s job.”

Sunny’s blue eyes flashed. “But it’s your brother. Fred knows you’re my best friend, so he should’ve waited before spilling that info to Brad and his team. At least, that’s my humble opinion.”

I laid my hand on her bare forearm. “And I love you for that. But if Scott has hidden secrets tying him to Selvaggio, it was bound to come out sooner or later. He probably should’ve told Brad everything up front.” I pulled my hand back and looked her over. “My point is that you shouldn’t throw Fred under the bus for doing what he was hired to do.

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