Lullabies & Lies by Ruby Blaylock

Author:Ruby Blaylock [Blaylock, Ruby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

18

Uncomfortable Truths

Morning embraced Rosewood Place, drenching the old plantation house in amber hues of autumn sunlight. Annie rose early, before her mother, and tiptoed down to the kitchen to make her first cup of coffee. She planned on drinking it down by the pond, where she hoped the distraction might keep her from wandering over to the cheerful little cottage where Rory was no doubt starting his own day.

A gentle tapping at the kitchen window startled Annie. She was surprised to see Everett Marshall staring back at her through the glass above the sink. Putting her coffee mug down on the counter, Annie motioned for the man to come around to the side of the house and the door that led from the kitchen to the outside was located.

Come inside, Mr. Marshall, Annie told him. I’ve got coffee on and you look like you could use a cup.

His clothing looked slept-in and a smattering of stubble covered his face. Everett accepted a mug of coffee like a man who’d gone hungry for days. Thank you, he sighed. The motel coffee wasn’t what I’d call potable, he lamented.

Motel? You stayed in a motel last night? How did you get back here? Annie raised one eyebrow, silently questioning this revelation. There was only one motel anywhere near Rosewood Place and it was several miles from her home. The police station was a further ten or so miles away. Walking was not a likely mode of transportation for someone who had been taken away in a police car.

Believe it or not, Coopersville has at least one reliable Uber driver, Everett replied before savoring another mouthful of coffee.

Annie felt foolish for not thinking of that herself. She supposed it wasn’t a service she’d ever needed since she’d been back home, but of course that didn’t mean that others in town wouldn’t want to use it.

Did you stay at the place down by the interstate? she asked. The place Emmett told Philip to try?

Everett nodded curtly. I did.

Did you go looking for him? she asked, sensing that this was the case.

Honestly? I don’t know. Maybe. But, either way, I didn’t see him. He wasn’t there.

Annie looked surprised. "What?

Everett lowered his eyes and dropped his head slightly. I wanted to speak with him after the police told me I could leave. I learned something from your chief of police that made me pretty upset. I guess I wanted to take out that anger on Philip, give him a piece of my mind since I couldn’t yell at Kim.

Annie frowned. I’m sorry, but what good would that do? She changed her tone, made it gentler and more sympathetic. Having those types of conversations when we’re angry rarely ends well, she pointed out. What did the police tell you?

Everett took a deep breath. "According to the police, my father was given insider information regarding a property that I was very involved with two years ago. Do you remember how I told you that I sometimes helped historical preservation societies with certain projects? Well, Horley House was one of those.

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