Iconoclast by Laurie Buchanan

Author:Laurie Buchanan [Buchanan, Laurie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SparkPress

CHAPTER 20

“ Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

—ANTON CHEKHOV

When Toni enters the massive eat-in kitchen, she feels all eyes on her, including those of the Irish wolfhound, Hemingway, who’s mastered the icy glare. I hate dogs, and he knows it, Toni thinks. Fortunately, only his head protrudes over the bottom portion of the closed Dutch door.

“Here, let me take your wet things,” Libby says.

“Thank you,” Toni says. She turns and smiles at the others. “Is that freshly baked bread I smell?”

“It sure is,” Niall says.

Libby reintroduces the group to Toni, saying, “You already know Niall, and you briefly met Tom Gordon, Megan Duprey, Pam Williams, and Linda Washington. But you haven’t met my son, Ian, or his fiancée, Fiona O’Meara.”

Ian stands to shake Toni’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he says.

“You as well.” Turning to Fiona, Toni shakes her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” Fiona says, smiling.

Before settling down at the table, Toni walks over to Niall. Taking one of his hands in hers, she quietly says, “I’m so sorry for your loss. Everyone in St. Barnabas parish loved Father MacCullough.” But the SOB was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and unfortunately, I had to eliminate him.

“Thank you,” Niall says. Clearing the emotion from his throat, he motions to an empty seat at the table and continues. “Please join us. There’s plenty of food.”

“I don’t know how much I’ll be able to eat. I just came from the dentist,” she says while lightly touching her fingers to her jaw.

The warm atmosphere of the main house’s sprawling eat-in kitchen is welcoming. As animated conversation resumes around the table—this time, sharing war stories about dental work— Linda notices Toni and Pam exchange a meaningful glance.

Linda’s eyes grow smaller, considering, thoughtful. To hide her rumination, she spreads her napkin on her lap and busies herself, flattening out its creases. When she looks up again, she watches Toni cut a slice of warm bread. Fragrant steam wafts toward the beamed ceiling before Toni spreads butter on the soft, golden piece.

Linda turns to see Tom looking at her. She likes that he smiles easily, the right side of his mouth pulling up a little higher than the left. She notices his strong, wide hands with a dusting of dark hair—hands, Linda imagines, that can do any number of things. She glances away, self-conscious of her reaction.

When Joe pulls the unmarked car into the circular drive in front of the main house, he says, “That’s Bianco’s car. I wonder what she’s doing here?”

“Let’s go find out,” Mick says.

Niall’s the first one to notice the two men. “Hey, Mick. Joe. Are you guys hungry? We just finished lunch, but there’s plenty left.”

“I’m starving,” they say in unison.

“Bianco, I thought you had a dentist appointment. What are you doing here?” Joe asks as he settles himself in a chair.

After kissing Emma, Mick sits at the table, too.

“I stopped here on my way home,” Toni says.

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