In their absence, the cabin had grown cold. Aiden went directly to the fireplace and began to build the perfect blaze, a task he’d grow adept at.
“What did you think of Mrs. G.?” Lily stood behind him, watching as he stoked the flames.
“She’s lovely.”
“That’s it?”
“I’m sorry about what she’s going through. It must be hard getting old and knowing you only have a limited time left on earth.”
Lily took his hand and led him to the couch. “But she’s at peace with the idea of passing. You heard her.”
Aiden laughed. “I’m not sure we’re on the same page when it comes to that sort of thing.”
“What do you mean by, ‘that sort of thing’?”
“You know, all that living in another dimension when we die mumbo jumbo. I think when our time’s up, we just cease to exist. Turn to dust and that’s it.”
Aiden had told her a few times what his thoughts were on the subject, but it was such a big part of her world view and faith that the differences in their philosophies bothered her.
“Do we have to talk about his now?” He nibbled at her neck, planting feathery kisses up and down her throat, finally ending with a lingering kiss at the hollow of her neck.
Heat bloomed in her cheeks as the flush of excitement ran through her. Why did her body have to betray her?
He took her hand and kissed it, then scooped her up into his arms and made his way to the loft. She let him, powerless, as if he’d cast a spell.
* * *
Natalie’s cell phone rang just as she entered the house. She’d had a long day of following Aiden and Lily around to stupid places like cemeteries and old folks’ homes. Were they fixated on death or something? Or was it because Halloween was just days away that their inner morbid was surfacing?
Not in the mood to chat with anyone, she glanced at her phone, ready to hit “ignore,” but it was Antonio’s name on the screen again.
“What is it?” she said, putting up a brave front, but fearing his response. She’d been living off coffee, doughnuts, and her mother’s stupid cupcakes for days now. Her hand shook so badly she could barely keep the phone against her ear.
Antonio sighed. “You sitting down?”
Natalie was in the powder room now, sorting through the various bottles of pills her mother kept there. Finally, she found the one she wanted, popped the top, and swallowed a tiny pink pill. The knot of worry unraveling like a snake in her belly would soon calm. She put down the lid of the toilet seat and sat, preparing herself for bad news. “Sitting now.”
“OK, I’m not going to beat around the bush. Wilkins is on his way to your house. Your mother’s about to be arrested.”
She wasn’t surprised; she knew her mother’s prints were on that gun, but yesterday she’d been too angry to give a shit. Hell, she would have opened the front door for Sheriff Wilkins herself. Now though, fear gripped her in hard, unyielding hands, and she nearly dropped the phone. They were coming for her mother.
Why did she care now? Because now it was real, and as much as she didn’t like to admit it, even though she hated her mother and sometimes even wished her dead, she didn’t really want her to go to jail. What would become of her if her family was torn apart? She was grown but just barely. She still needed them.
Natalie eyed the pill bottle and contemplated taking another, or maybe a handful. Instead, she pocketed it for later.
“Her finger and palm prints were a match to the murder weapon; she had motive and no alibi,” Antonio continued. “I’m sorry. I know how hard you tried to keep Wilkins off your dad’s scent but…” He hesitated. “Maybe she did it, Natalie. Isn’t it better it’s your mom and not your dad? I know how close you are to him and—”
“Fuck off. You’re a piece-of-shit cop. All you did was take my money and for what? You didn’t keep me safe.” She melted to the floor, dropping the phone and banging her head on the marble. The pain pierced through her forehead into her temples, but she needed it; she wanted it. She had to feel something other than her own heart breaking.
Antonio’s voice echoed from her phone. She plucked it up and smashed it down on the floor. One loud crack and it shattered, rendered useless. She picked up the pieces and threw them into the waste-paper basket.
She could hear her parents’ muffled voices somewhere nearby. Where were they? In the library? In the great room? They hadn’t come running. That meant they hadn’t heard her tantrum. Should she warn them? No, it was too late for that.
There was only one thing left to do.