Family Enterprise and Death by Patti Larsen

Author:Patti Larsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Patti Larsen Books

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Chapter Fifteen

With Penny settled at Dad’s desk in Kit’s place, head down over her research prior to heading out for real-world contact with Rose and her life (I didn’t envy the ME’s assistant that job), I fired off a text to Eve.

Did you know Hugh Farcourt from the old neighborhood? I shared the picture Daisy found along with his real name. Assuming he’s here to keep Olivia under control. Would he have reason to want either Jimmy or Donnie dead? Rather than wait for a response that could be a long time coming, if ever, I left Petunia under the watchful eyes of Penny and Daisy and hustled back out again, in search of more direct answers.

I was surprised when Eve got back to me as I hit the sidewalk.

I had no idea who he was, she sent. Let me look into it and get back to you.

Being helpful at last? Awesome.

Naturally, any visit to the mayor’s office at town hall meant a likely encounter with the very person I was looking into, and today wasn’t bound to be an exception. Then again, I’d seen Hugh on his own not so long ago thanks to Daisy’s surveillance, so maybe luck would be on my side after all.

I was surprised and relieved to find Hugh wasn’t at his desk, Olivia’s door closed but her light on. Hoping I might actually get a win for once, I poked my head in without knocking, her name on my lips. And froze, because it wasn’t the mayor sitting at her desk, staring with grim focus at her computer.

Nope. It was Hugh Farcourt.

He looked up before I could retreat, face flickering with guilt before he slammed shut the laptop cover and stood abruptly. Now that I’d seen who he was, I couldn’t shake the feeling of a young man in his more polished elder’s clothing, the almost ethereal transposition of the scruffy teen superimposed over the polished and anxious assistant I’d come to… know? That was the wrong word, wasn’t it? I didn’t know Hugh at all.

His reaction gave me an opening, however, so visibly off-guard and uncomfortable I just couldn’t turn down the opportunity to push him while he was off-kilter.

“Hey, Hugh,” I said with a smile, trying nonchalant on for size.

“Mayor Walker isn’t here,” he snapped immediately.

“So I noticed,” I said, easing the rest of the way through the door, closing it behind me, all while maintaining my casual smile. “Any idea when she’ll be back?”

He hurried around the desk, running into the corner of it, knocking his sweater vest askew along with his glasses. Hugh paused to adjust both with his pale hands trembling just enough I noticed, really seeing him for what felt like the first time. Hugh had been such a fixture here in Reading, always at Olivia’s side. In fact, the very first time she’d visited me at my old bed and breakfast, Petunia’s, back when I thought Grandmother Ivy’s gift might be lost to me only two weeks after taking it on, Hugh had been with her.

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