The Forbidden by Heather Graham

Author:Heather Graham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2021-05-17T13:58:35+00:00

Nine

Fin had heard the rumor ten minutes before joining the others at the table. He had kept his distance, watching the film crew as they’d gone in to the restaurant, and he’d waited, watching for the arrival of the Christy family.

Cara and Gary Holstein had naturally showed up together.

Julian Bennett and Kenneth Richard had then arrived together, laughing and loitering in the street, it appeared, as if they intended to make an entrance.

They made a strange pair, Fin thought. Kenneth had several years on Julian and had the look of a stodgy professor. Julian was more of a player—good-looking, quick to flirt, an outgoing man in every way.

They had claimed that none of them had known each other well prior to being named in the will. Nothing hostile, just the fact that they weren’t first cousins, but rather that their parents had been cousins and life had been busy and they’d never really met.

Angela had called while Fin had watched and waited. She’d reported to him that the foursome had contacted their attorney to ask about licenses and requirements for making the island a state historic site.

A surprise to him.

And, obviously, to the others.

It seemed to Fin that his question brought about a few seconds of complete, stunned silence.

Then Lauren stood, stricken. “What?” she exclaimed.

The members of the Christy family looked awkwardly at one another.

Then Cara Holstein looked straight at Fin.

“Yes,” she said softly. “Yes, but you must understand. We don’t believe that we’ll be able to sell it. We’re going to be in massive trouble with taxes and...well, our attorney made us think about it.”

“None of us really wants the wretched place,” Julian said. “My dad hated his grandfather—said he was one of the meanest old men he’d ever met.”

“My parents disliked him, too,” added Cara. “That’s why we seldom visited, and when my own grandfather died, well, I never went back on my own.”

“Ditto to all the above,” Kenneth told them. “He was known to be...weird.”

“Interesting,” Fin said. He saw that Avalon had probably given Lauren a little kick beneath the table; Lauren sat silent and pale. “I’d always heard he was an eccentric. I’d never heard anything about cruelty to his children or anything of the like.” He lifted the water glass in front of him. “To justice for Cindy, and a better future for all.”

“Justice—for Cindy,” Lauren repeated.

The evening went on; Fin spoke to the Christy family mainly, keeping it all conversational, asking about their employment, their lives at home. He felt Avalon watching him now and then, wondering what he could possibly be getting from the conversation.

He was drawing Boris out, as well, talking about the art of filmmaking, the expense of sets, the ease when it came to simply working in a studio...and the expenses that were incurred both in and out of a studio.

It was Brad who brought up the murder again.

“Don’t the forensic people have anything?” he demanded. “Someone was on that island in the middle of the night. They brought Cindy with them, cleaned up, dressed up.

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