Share No Secrets (36 page)

“Gail Brent. She called me this morning. You know she dates Sonny Keller, the cop. He told her all about you going to Lottie’s cabin, someone shooting at you, you getting away but Lucas being shot. When I couldn’t reach you, I was afraid whoever shot at you at the cabin got to you later.” Kit paused. “I don’t think Keller knew Drew Delaney was keeping you company while Lucas is in the hospital. If so, he’d be spreading the news all over town. Of course,
I’m
surprised—no,
stunned
—myself, although I’ve never thought Lucas was right for you. He’s too serious.”

“This is not a big deal, Kit. Drew was protecting me.”

Kit exploded into laughter. “Stop cackling,” Adrienne snapped, although her facial expression wasn’t as stern as her voice. “We had quite an evening.”

“I’m
sure,”
Kit guffawed.

“Will you quit it? You sound like you’re fifteen.”

“And the two of you
look
like you’re fifteen, all tousled hair, guilty glances, and flaming cheeks.”

“Flaming cheeks? You’re imagining that. Drew has never blushed in his life. Besides, neither of us has anything to blush about.”

“Come on, Adrienne, I’m your best friend. I deserve to get the details about everything. You can start with the shooting.”

“Thank you. I thought you found the shooting part boring, just a prelude leading up to the
big moment
with Drew.”

“I want to hear about the whole evening. And you’re dumping way too many grounds in the coffeemaker basket”

“No I’m not Drew and I need something to wake us up. We drank quite a bit of wine. Just to relax.”

“While he was protecting you. All good bodyguards drink while doing their jobs.”

“Do you have an extra toothbrush?” Drew yelled from the bathroom.

Kit bent double with laughter. “This gets better and better.”

“Oh, be quiet,” Adrienne snarled, unable to stop herself from grinning. “There’s an unopened one in the medicine cabinet,” she called back to Drew.

“If he asks for bubble bath, I won’t be able to bear it,” Kit choked out.

“If he asks for the bubble bath, I’m throwing both of you out.” Adrienne flipped on the coffeemaker. “About my almost being killed last night.”

“Oh yes.” Kit wiped tears from her eyes and made an effort to look properly horrified. “What happened?”

“I’m sure you got the basic story from Gail.” Adrienne sat down at the table as the coffeemaker kicked into action. “Lottie called me. She sounded really sick, but she refused to come into town. She wouldn’t even tell me where she was, but I guessed she was at the cabin, so I decided I’d go to her without letting her know I was corning. I called Lucas and asked him to meet me there. I went, and as I was walking into the cabin, someone shot at me. With a
rifle,
I might add, not a handgun. Obviously, they missed. I hit the floor and was absolutely frozen and then Drew came along. Apparently, he’d been following me. Lottie wasn’t in the cabin. Lucas never showed up. So, Drew called 911. Then he brought me home and stayed with me in case whoever tried to kill me the first time decided to try it again. He didn’t want me to be alone. That’s all there is to our being together.”

“Try that last part on someone who didn’t look through the slit between the draperies at the front window and see the two of you all wrapped up together on the couch.”

“We
weren’t
wrapped up together.”

“You didn’t see yourselves. Where’s Skye?”

“At Sherry Grangers’s. I sent her there as soon as trouble started at the cabin. I just hope she hasn’t heard anything about the shooting.” Adrienne paused. “You said Gail called you with the news. Why?”

“Because you’re my friend.”

“But Gail isn’t
our
friend. I didn’t think she’d care less what happened to either one of us.”

Kit shot her a troubled glance. “You know, I was so upset over what she told me about you, I didn’t even think about how odd it was for her to call me all full of concern for you. And you know something else? I asked her about her mother, and she said in this offhand tone that Lottie hadn’t been found but that she’d turn up. Considering the shooting, that’s cold, even for Gail.”

“I agree.” Adrienne got up to pour coffee. “How did you scratch your forehead?”

“What? Oh, that I came tearing down the rear stairs from my apartment this morning and just missed smacking into a limb on the dogwood tree. I guess a twig got me. Is it bleeding?”

“There was a little bit of blood, but it’s dried. You need to put some antiseptic on it, though. I have some in the bathroom.”

“Which is occupied.”

“Not for long.” Adrienne set a mug of coffee in front of Kit, then headed out of the kitchen with another in her hand.

“Coffee in the bathroom?” Kit teased. “Not quite as good as breakfast in bed.”

“It’s as good as it gets around here.”

Adrienne met Drew coming out of the bathroom. His face was flushed from vigorous splashing with cold water, his dark eyes were as bloodshot as Kit’s, his hair stood on end, and Adrienne’s heart caught at how gorgeous he looked in spite of it all. “Here,” she said abruptly, thrusting the coffee mug at him and feeling like a girl of Skye’s age with a crush.

Drew took it gratefully. “I’ll have time to run home and take a shower and shave, but no time for breakfast. Eggs and toast I can manage without. Caffeine is a different matter.” He slurped coffee. “Good and strong. Hey, is Kit giving you a hard time about me being here?”

“Just relentless teasing.”

“Well, if it gets too bad, ask her where Miles Shaw spent the night.”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw him going up the back stairs to her apartment last night.”

“Before you followed me to Lottie’s? Really, Drew, do you ever spend an evening at home minding your own business?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“Miles Shaw?” Adrienne asked softly. “Are you sure?”

“It’s kind of hard to mistake him for someone else. The guy’s a giant and his hair is three feet long.”

“Probably longer. I wonder what he was doing there?”

“I don’t know, but he was carrying a knapsack
and
a small suitcase.” Drew emptied his coffee mug and handed it back to her. “Thanks for this. I have to run.” He hesitated, then leaned forward and gave her a glancing kiss on the cheek. “Take care of yourself today.”

Adrienne stood in the hall, thoughts churning, until she heard the front door close. Drew Delaney had spent the night with her. Drew Delaney had kissed her good-bye. She thought she might be falling in love with Drew Delaney again. Good God.

“Adrienne, are you okay?”

Kit stood in front of her looking exhausted and worried. “Sure.” Adrienne realized she didn’t sound sure at all. “I’m just distracted. It was a long night. I’m worried about Lucas and Lottie. I need to pick up Skye and tell her about the shooting before she hears the news from someone else.”

“I really don’t think you should go out today considering the attack on you last night,” Kit said. “If you give me directions to the Granger house, I’ll pick up Skye.”

“Thanks, but the Grangers don’t know you.”

“Then call ahead and tell them I’ll be picking up Skye. You aren’t even dressed yet, Adrienne. I can have her back here before you’re out of the shower.”

Adrienne thought of how good hot water would feel on her sore neck and back muscles, and how much more cheerful she could look for Skye with shampooed hair and a touch of lipstick and blush. She didn’t want her daughter to be any more worried than her banishment from the house last night must have made her feel already.

“All right. I’ll call the Grangers. It’s not far and I’m sure Skye is awake. Be sure to tell her that I’m fine.”

After she’d given Kit directions, Adrienne opened the front door. Bright morning sun streamed in. “At least it’s a nice day,” she said. “I was afraid it would rain, which would make searching for Lottie even harder.”

“Not to mention her being out in the rain making her even sicker.” Kit stepped onto the porch. “Be back in a flash with your daughter.” Adrienne was closing the door when Kit leaned toward the lilac bush and asked, “What’s this?”

Adrienne opened the door again and stepped outside as Kit leaned down and picked up a manila envelope tucked under the lower branches of the bush. She held it out to Adrienne, who peered at the large, printed words on the front:

“Memories?” Kit asked blankly. “Memories of what?”

But Adrienne didn’t hear her as she opened the envelope and withdrew a photograph. Then her world shifted as she looked at a picture of her husband, Trey, lying beside a mangled motorcycle, his body contorted like a broken doll’s, his right cheekbone sticking through what was left of the shredded skin on his face, and his left arm torn loose and resting nearly a foot away from his body.

“Dear God,” Adrienne mumbled as she dropped the photo and sank slowly into an unconscious heap on the porch.

Miles Shaw stepped out of the shower half-blinded by steam from the nearly scalding water he loved, and began vigorously toweling himself. When he finished, he wrapped the towel around his long, black hair and walked barefooted into the bedroom. To his embarrassment, he nearly let out a girlish scream when he saw Gail Brent sitting on the bed. Her blue gaze traveled up and down his naked body before she slowly smiled and said, “Good morning, Miles. Did Kit take out room and board for last night in money or in trade?”

Miles whipped the towel off his head and held it in front of his crotch. Gail laughed delightedly. “Oh, Miles, really! Believe me, it isn’t
that
special.”

“How did you get in here?” he snarled, his face flushing under her scrutiny.

“Do you think I’ve worked at the restaurant all these years without managing to get a key to the apartment right upstairs?”

“Kit’s
apartment She’d fire you if she knew you had a key.”

“Yes, she would,” Gail said nonchalantly.

“How often do you sneak into this place?”

“Only when I think there might be something intriguing going on. And you spending the night at this stage of the game certainly falls under the heading of intriguing. You see, I thought you were pining away in celibacy for my sister these past two years. Then I found out you’ve been having a hot affair with Maigaret Taylor.” Gail assumed a look of anxiety. “Gosh, Miles, isn’t it a shame all your lady loves turn up murdered? It’s so damned tragic, not to mention scary. And now you’re all alone. Is that why you came running back to Kit? Because there’s no one left? Or did you come back so you could kill her, too?”

Miles’s fists clenched and his voice turned into a dangerously controlled whisper. “I didn’t kill anyone and you know it.”

Gail’s eyes widened. “Why would I know that, Miles? Do you think I believe in the purity of your soul, your intrinsic goodness?” She smiled derisively.
“Intrinsic.
I’ll bet Julianna didn’t even know what that word meant. But then no one cares how good your vocabulary is when you’re beautiful. Hell, they don’t care if you can talk.”

Miles glowered at her. His breath came fast and hard. Then, almost instantly, he appeared to grow calm. He walked to the chair by the bed, picked up his black jeans, and slipped them on, slowly pulling up the zipper as if he were alone.

“No underwear?” Gail asked coyly. “Good heavens, you really are a heathen.”

Miles looked at her through narrowed eyes. “What-do-you-want?”

“I want to know why you’re in Kit’s apartment.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“I’m making it my business. After all, you used to be my brother-in-law.”

“As if family relationships mean
anything
to you.”

“Even if they did, you’re not family anymore.” Gail tilted her head, smiling triumphantly. “I’ve got it! You’re hiding, aren’t you? But from whom? Not the police. You came up with an alibi for the time of Julianna’s murder. You even managed one for the time of Margaret’s murder. The cops are satisfied for now. You’re not dodging arrest. So what’s the deal, Miles?”

“Maybe I just wanted to be with Kit.”

“That’s a laugh. Not that I think she wouldn’t just die to have you.” She made a comic face. “Oh, pardon me for mentioning
die
in reference to one of your girlfriends.”

“Kit has no reason to fear me. She knows that. Besides, she wasn’t even here last night.”

For the first time, Gail’s round face lost every trace of humor. “She wasn’t here?”

“She went out for a while.” Miles hastily turned away from her and reached for his shirt.

“When did she go out? For how long?”

“I wasn’t keeping tabs on her.” Miles’s voice became extremely casual. “What’s your interest, anyway?”

“I heard there was some trouble up at la Belle last night.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“You’re getting really good at that innocent look, Miles.” He didn’t answer. “I don’t know all the details. Something to do with Adrienne Reynolds. And my mother.”

“Trouble with your mother? And you don’t know the details?”

Gail shrugged. “My mother is always in some kind of mess. I don’t pay much attention anymore.”

“You never paid attention to her.”

“Don’t get sanctimonious on me, Miles.”

He turned on her, his face livid. “What the hell do you want, Gail? Are you tracking down me or Kit?”

Gail bit her lip for a moment, suddenly appearing young and unsure. Then confidence seemed to seep back into her. She stood up in her too-tight jeans and low-cut top, pushed her thick hair behind one ear to display a dangling star-shaped earring, and threw him a cool look. “Maybe I’m checking up on you
and
Kit, Miles. After all, both of you have things to hide, especially about Julianna.”

“Oh. You’re investigating your sister’s murder. That’s touching, Gail. Really touching, since I know how much you loved her.”

All the taunting drained from her face and her voice. “No, I did
not
love Julianna. And I won’t pretend to be sorry that she’s dead, but I don’t intend to let
anyone
drag me into the fallout created by her murder. Or into any of the other bad stuff that’s been going on in this town. No one’s going to put the blame on me for anything. Not you, not Kit, not my mother,
no one.”