Tillie, Landon, Bay, Thistle and Marcus sat at the dining room table when I hit the main floor. I took a moment to eavesdrop before entering.
“I can’t believe I missed that,” Thistle complained. “I forgot it was the equinox. We need to write this stuff down on a calendar, Marcus. You know how I love the naked dancing.”
“You don’t love the naked dancing,” Marcus argued. It was the first time I could remember him raising his voice. He seemed quiet and contemplative most of the time, which was why I liked him. “You do nothing but complain when it’s happening.”
“That lasts only until I’ve had some wine,” Thistle shot back. “I like it fine after that.”
“Well, I don’t like it fine,” Marcus argued. “You know how I feel about the magic of spinning boobs.”
I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.
“We didn’t spend any time watching them anyway,” Bay offered. “Once Landon had some wine in him he started making up poems about bacon and that got him in the mood.”
“The mood for what?” Tillie asked, nursing her mug of coffee with a haggard expression. “By the way, my boobs don’t spin. They’re as firm as they were when I was a teenager. I could be a model. They’re that firm. No, seriously, I could totally do it professionally. Victoria’s Secret called and I had to turn them down.”
Thistle snorted. “Please. Your boobs have like eight minds of their own when you get to drinking and dancing. Still, was that a smart idea when we have the Legacy Foundation group in the inn?”
“I don’t care who we have in the inn,” Tillie replied. “Besides, they’re looking for Bigfoot. Unless I’m mistaken, we weren’t dancing with Bigfoot.”
“You were still loud enough to draw attention,” Landon warned. “That’s how Bay and I knew you were out there. We forgot it was the equinox, too.”
“And you wanted to go home and take a bath,” Bay teased. She seemed mildly hungover, but in good spirits. “Think how much we would’ve missed if we did that.”
“I’m sure my head wouldn’t be pounding nearly as much as it is now if we’d been good instead of bad,” Landon countered, rubbing his forehead. “Still, I’m glad you made me write down that ode to bacon before going to bed. I’m going to recite it to you every night.”
Bay snorted. “Yes, that will certainly put me in the mood.”
“It will put me in the mood,” Landon said. “I’m the one who generally puts you in the moods so … we’ll be fine.”
I took advantage of the lull in the conversation and pasted a bright smile on my face as I walked into the dining room. “Good morning. How is everyone this fine and beautiful spring day?” Hmm. That probably came out a little forced, huh?
“Still alive,” Tillie replied, draining the rest of her coffee. “I’d say that’s about all we have going for us.”
I fixed a puzzled look into place while pouring my own mug of coffee. “Oh, is something wrong?”
Tillie narrowed her eyes as she regarded me, rolling her neck and openly staring. “She saw us.” She made the announcement after only a few moments of contemplation. I was completely taken aback.
“I did not see you.”
“Ha!” Tillie extended a finger. “If you didn’t see us, how do you know there was something to see?”
“You just told me.”
“Oh.” Tillie drew her eyebrows together. “I’m still pretty sure she saw us.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re right,” Landon said dryly, pouring Bay a glass of tomato juice as he pinned me with a quizzical look. “Were you out and about last night?”
“I … .” Crap. I was caught. They knew it and I knew it. Thankfully Jack picked that moment to swoop into the dining room and save me.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his expression unreadable as his gaze bounced from face to face.
“She was spying on us last night,” Tillie replied, unruffled. “She thinks we don’t know … but we know.”
“Spying?” Jack was a much better actor than I was and when he lifted a confused-looking eyebrow I almost believed him. “What was she spying on?”
Tillie ran her tongue over her teeth as she regarded Jack. I figured she was probably debating whether or not she wanted to tattle. I was wrong.
“You were out there, too.”
Jack balked. “I was not out there watching you.”
I groaned as I slapped my hand to my forehead. “And you think I’m a bad liar,” I muttered, shaking my head.
“Told you.” Tillie was clearly full of herself as she shifted her eyes to Landon. “You didn’t do anything illegal, did you? They could take your badge if you’re not careful.”
“I didn’t do anything illegal,” Landon barked, his annoyance obvious. “At least I don’t think I did. We didn’t do that one thing I suggested with the bacon, right?” He looked confused when he glanced at Bay.
Instead of being embarrassed, she giggled. “No. We don’t have any bacon in the guesthouse. We couldn’t have done that even if we wanted to.”
“I think the better question is: Would you have done that?” Landon perked up.
Bay immediately began shaking her head. “No. It’s dirty.”
“Since when did you become a puritan?”
“Not dirty-minded,” Bay corrected. “It’s physically dirty. We’d never get the grease out of the sheets.”
“What if we do it in the tub?”
“Do you want to eat soggy bacon?”
Landon shrugged. “Life is full of hard choices, sweetie. We’ll give it some thought later.” He patted her hand and turned to Jack. “They were on their own property. What you saw was none of your business.”
Jack widened his eyes. “I didn’t want to mention seeing anything.” He jerked his thumb in my direction. “That’s on her. She has a big mouth.”
“She didn’t announce that she saw us,” Bay pointed out. “She merely pretended she didn’t, and Aunt Tillie figured out she was lying.”
“And how did she do that?” Jack asked.
Bay shrugged. “She has a nose for lies. I can’t explain it.”
“Yeah, she definitely manages to figure out when people are lying,” Thistle confirmed. “Once, when I was a teenager, I told her the truth about my car breaking down because that was the reason I missed curfew. She got me to admit to lying even though I was telling the truth.”
“That’s not why I did that,” Tillie said, snorting. “I knew you weren’t lying that night. I also knew you snuck out two nights before and made out with the Randall boy. You didn’t get caught for that, so I was merely paying you back.”
Thistle’s mouth dropped open. “How did you know I snuck out that night?”
“I know all and see all.”
Surprisingly enough, the Winchesters didn’t appear bothered that someone had spied on them the previous evening – which was dumbfounding to me because I wouldn’t get naked in the gym shower, let alone a field full of family members. So I took a risk and settled in one of the open chairs, picking a spot close to Jack. He filled his mug with coffee, clearly enthralled by the odd conversation.
“You’re making that up,” Thistle said. “You simply played the odds that I’d done something wrong over the past week and guilted me until you got the outcome you wanted.”
“You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you?” Tillie was clearly hungover, but she was determined not to use that as an excuse to lose an argument. “I always knew what you were up to. It’s my special skill.”
“Oh, and I thought it was making me think my head was imploding on a daily basis,” Landon deadpanned.
“Don’t make me put you on my list,” Tillie warned.
“I’ll try to refrain from the overwhelming urge to get on your list,” Landon said, sipping his coffee before shifting his eyes to Bay. “What are you doing today?”
“What are you doing today?” she countered.
“You told me that answering a question with a ques
tion is a surefire way to know that someone is up to no good,” Landon pointed out. “What are you doing today?”
“I am … working.” Bay suddenly found something interesting to stare at on the tablecloth. I had no idea what, but she was determined to avoid eye contact with the pushy FBI agent.
“What are you working on?” Landon didn’t raise his voice, but it was clear he was suspicious.
“I’m working on an article about the dead woman in the woods,” Bay replied. “What else is there to work on?”
“Okay. I’d like to know where you plan to pursue your leads,” Landon pressed. “I don’t want you wandering around the woods by yourself, Bay. It’s not safe.”
“I’m not going to be by myself.” Bay cast a pleading look in Thistle’s direction. “I’m not going to be in the woods either. I’m going back to the resort. And I’m taking Thistle with me.”
“I can’t go with you,” Thistle said, dashing Bay’s hopes. “I have to do inventory. We have a huge shipment coming in at the store. I don’t have a choice.”
“Well, I guess that settles that,” Landon said. “I might be able to carve out some time this afternoon to take you to the resort. If you can wait until then … .”
Bay cut him off with a shake of her head. “I can’t wait until then.”
“Why not? I have to go with Chief Terry to talk to Penny’s family. I can’t go to the resort with you now.”
“I don’t need you to go with me,” Bay argued. “I’m an adult. I have my own car. I can go out to the resort myself.”
“Sweetie, I would really rather you didn’t.” Landon lowered his voice. I couldn’t decide if it was because he was embarrassed to be caught begging or he was trying to placate the feisty blonde.
“I’m going.” Bay was firm. “I’ll be fine. It’s a nice day, and I won’t be wandering around the woods. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Besides, I’ll go with her,” Tillie offered. “You’ll have nothing to worry about as long as I’m there to supervise.”
Landon’s grimace turned into a scowl. “That doesn’t make me feel any better. In fact, that makes me feel worse. The idea of the two of you running around that resort is enough to give me indigestion. Can’t you please wait, Bay?”
Bay looked caught. She clearly didn’t want to hurt Landon’s feelings, but she was determined to return to the resort. I couldn’t fathom why, but was dying to find out. That’s why I decided to interject myself into the argument, which, in hindsight, was probably a mistake.
“I need to go back, too,” I offered, wrapping my hands around the mug. “I can go with her.”
Landon turned his incredulous eyes to me. “Excuse me?”
“Yeah, excuse me?” Jack was equally annoyed. “We didn’t discuss that.”
“I wasn’t aware I had to discuss my plans with you,” I sniffed, locking gazes with Bay. I knew she would decide her own fate – she had that air about her – and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t forgotten in the melee. “If you’re game to go out to the resort, I’d be more than happy to go with you.”
Bay made up her mind on the spot. “The more the merrier. Sounds like a fun morning.”
“Oh, geez.” Landon pinched the bridge of his nose. “This has mistake written all over it.”
“Don’t worry.” Tillie patted his arm. “I’ll be there to keep things under control.”
“And I’m going to need to start my day with a drink,” Landon muttered. “I think my liver is going to be shot before the week is out at this rate.”
I couldn’t help but worry he was right.
Fourteen
“I can’t believe you didn’t let me drive,” Tillie griped as she climbed out of the passenger seat of Bay’s car. Bay parked in front of the main lobby, which I hadn’t entered when I’d been at the resort yesterday, so I was excited to see it. Of course, I was also nervous because the possibility of running into people I’d previously met was high. I hadn’t thought about that when I volunteered to accompany Bay.
“Your truck still has the plow on it and there’s nothing to plow,” Bay argued, adopting a long-suffering sigh only family members familiar with specific quirks can muster. “Besides, you shouldn’t have a license. You’re a terrible driver.”
“Okay, you’re definitely on my list,” Tillie grumbled, staring at the resort’s main building. “Huh. Is this place bigger?”
“When was the last time you were here?” I asked.
“Probably the seventies.”
“Oh, well, I assume they made some changes,” I offered, smiling. “It’s a beautiful resort. Do you golf? I’ll bet the course is gorgeous.”
“Why would I want to golf?” Tillie asked, scuffing her shoes against the concrete as we walked up the sidewalk. “What fun is there in hitting a ball with a stick? If I want to hit something with a stick, I want it to move first. Otherwise it’s too easy.”
I was taken aback. “What do you hit with sticks?”
Tillie shrugged. “I’m not a big fan of moles. They mess up my garden.”
“So you hit them with a stick?” My eyes widened. “Do you kill them?”
“Not with a stick. That’s what the gun is for.”
Bay shifted her shoulders and glared at her great-aunt. “Where is your gun, by the way? I told Landon you were walking with it in town and he went to find it and came up empty. I’m sure you were anticipating that, though. Is it in the greenhouse? The door was locked yesterday.”
Tillie’s face flickered between annoyance and faux innocence. “Why would you be trying to get in my greenhouse? You don’t garden.”
“I could garden,” Bay shot back. “You’re trying to distract me. Where is your gun?”
“I don’t have a gun. I think you’re mistaken.” Tillie shifted her eyes toward the kitschy gift shop area. “That’s where I’ll be if you need me.”
Bay’s mouth dropped open. “I thought you were here to help me.”
“I am here to help you. I’m going to help myself, too. They have a candy shop. I’ll ask questions about Penny Schilling there. Bakers and candy makers are always thick with the good gossip.”
I had no idea if that was true, but Bay seemed resigned.
“Fine,” Bay growled. “Don’t get in trouble, though. Don’t call anyone names … and don’t put anyone on your list. By the way, you don’t have any mortal enemies who work here, do you?”
Tillie shrugged, unbothered by Bay’s tone. “It’s a small world, Bay, and my enemies list is ever growing. I can’t answer that question until I see who works here. You know that.”
“Okay, but if you get arrested, call Mom for bail money. I’m going to pretend I don’t know you.”
“So it will be like you’re in middle school again.” Tillie’s smile was sunny. “I’ll see you in a little bit. By the way, if you get arrested, don’t come crying to me. Call ‘The Man’ and make him bail you out.”
“I don’t get arrested,” Bay countered.
Tillie snorted. “I seem to remember a time or two where you were arrested with me.”
“That happened once.”
“It happened a few times when you were little,” Tillie countered. “I merely told you we were visiting Terry so you wouldn’t cry. You girls were such whiners when you were younger.”
“Whatever.” Bay, a dark expression on her face, watched her great-aunt cross the parking lot. When she realized I was staring at her she squared her shoulders and forced a smile. “So … um … shall we?” She gestured toward the main entry.
I nodded as I fell into step with her, the weight of trying to think up passable conversation causing my shoulders to slump. “So, your aunt seems fun.”
Bay snorted. “She has her moments. She actually was fun to grow up in the same house with. She always took us on adventures … and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a good adventure.”
The shift in Bay’s attitude once Tillie was out of hearing distance was remarkable.
“You love her.”
“Of course I love her. She’s my great-aunt.”
“But … you like her, too.”
“I understand her,” Bay corrected. “She likes attention, whether it’s negative or positive, and she truly enjoys keeping people on their toes. She’s a royal pain in the butt when she wants to be. She’s also loyal to a fault, and she’d die before letting harm come to anyone she loves.”
“Does that include Thistle?”
Bay smiled and this time the expression made it all the way to her eyes. “It definitely includes Thistle. They’re the most alike.”
“Does Thistle believe that?”
“If you hear her talk, the answer would be no,” Bay replied. “I think deep down she recognizes that she has a lot of Aunt Tillie in her. We all have a certain amount, just in different ways.”
“Yeah, well … about last night … um … .” I had no idea how to broach the subject and found myself struggling for the right words. “I didn’t mean to infringe on your privacy. We were coming back late and Jack thought he heard something. We were checking out the noise and saw you. I promise we didn’t stay for very long.”
That was a total lie, but it sounded better than the truth.
“You were out there for almost an hour.” Bay said the words without recrimination and her eyes sparked with mirth when they locked with mine. “I knew you were out there the entire time.”
“How?”
“I … felt you. I guess that’s the easiest way to say it.”
“You felt us?” That was interesting. “Are you psychic?”
If Bay was surprised by the question, she didn’t show it. “No, I’m not psychic. Are you psychic?”
Unlike Bay, who appeared to have the grace to remain unruffled during the oddest of circumstances, I could feel my cheeks burning under her pointed gaze. “Of course not. I … why would you ask that?”
“Because you’re hiding something.” Bay’s answer was simple, succinct and said without malice. The observation was also terrifying. “I’ve known you were hiding something since you arrived.”
“That’s kind of funny,” I admitted, hoping my voice wouldn’t crack as I fought to remain calm. “I’ve thought the same thing about you since we met.”
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