Temptation Trails - Page 119

“No, I feel fine. Just tired, mostly. No heartburn.”

“If dinner doesn’t smell good or taste good or anything, don’t be afraid to speak up. I had food aversions with one of my pregnancies and it was terrible. Don’t worry, I won’t take it personally. I’ve been there.” She pointed at a chair. “You can sit here.”

“Thank you.”

Owen was busy setting the table and Garrett stepped in to help. I felt weird sitting down before everyone was ready, but Marlene insisted they had everything under control. Paul brought in the chili, and if I was going to have any food aversions, I sure hoped it wouldn’t be that night. It smelled fantastic.

Garrett sat beside me, with Owen across from us and Paul and Marlene at each end. We all dished up and started eating.

The topic of my pregnancy took a back seat. Owen had a lot to say about school. They were studying astronomy in science class and he was currently fascinated by black holes. We got quite the interesting explanation, and he was particularly excited to tell us about spaghettification. It sounded like something out of a horror movie to me, but apparently being stretched into a noodle shape was fascinating to his teenage-boy mind.

Owen might have been fascinated by black holes, but I was fascinated by Garrett’s parents. By Paul’s covert wink at his wife. By Marlene’s knowing smile at her husband. The way they’d moved around the kitchen together, a subtle harmony of familiarity.

They were in love. You could see it, plain as day. They weren’t putting on a show or trying to act differently because someone was watching. It was real.

It was so beautiful, it made my heart ache. I’d never seen anything like it. As far as I knew, my mother hadn’t been in love with either of the men who’d fathered her daughters. And my aunt Doris had never been married. My grandfather had died when I was little, so I didn’t remember seeing him with my grandmother.

Garrett’s hand rested on my thigh while we ate. He gave me a little squeeze and when he turned to me, the corners of his mouth lifted. Our eyes locked and I searched his. We’d said it. We’d both admitted we were in love with each other. Was it that kind of love? The kind that survived all the craziness of life Paul and Marlene must have experienced?

I hoped so. I wanted it more than I’d ever wanted anything. Even more than I’d wanted the mirror curse to finally end.

I wanted this. I wanted Garrett, and Owen, and this baby. I had no idea what I was really in for—I had no experience with babies—but I knew I wanted it all anyway.

A little voice whispered in the back of my head, reminding me of the package. And the murder bear. About someone breaking into my house and going through my things. I was staying at Garrett’s house, not because I was having his baby, but because something weird was going on and he didn’t think I was safe.

And I started to worry that my mirror curse was going to show up in a big way and I’d be left grasping for a life I’d almost been able to touch.

CHAPTER 30

Garrett

Nodding along, I listened to Mr. Bakerfield’s story. He was a longtime Tilikum resident, in his seventies, and had cornered me in line at the Steaming Mug. Although it was my day off, I decided to give him my ear. He’d claimed to have information about the Joyner murder.

So did half the town. But so far, none of them actually did. Ever since word had gotten out that I was investigating the cold case, we’d been getting calls. Mostly they were people who wanted to recount their memories of the case or who had an insatiable urge to insert themselves into the drama by claiming to have information.

Part of my job was following up on every one of them.

“So that’s how it happened,” Mr. Bakerfield said. “They found her near that trail. Looked like she’d been strangled.”

“Right.” He’d just given me a loose overview of the case as most people had understood it, based on the reports in the local newspaper. “Is that all?”

He took a deep breath and gazed into the distance. “I think so. If memory serves.”

“Got it. Okay, thanks for your time.”

“Thank you, deputy. We appreciate you working on this case. It’s high time the killer came to justice.”

“Agreed.”

With a solemn nod, he got up. I took a sip of my now lukewarm coffee, wishing I could get that last half hour back.

Since I’d already spent the morning recounting the public details of the case, I decided to go through with my plans for some off-duty investigating. I wanted to check out the area where I’d found the bracelet. I didn’t think I’d necessarily uncover new evidence. But I wanted to walk the woods, see if I could make sense of why Jasmine might have been out there.

The door opened and my brother Luke wandered in. I hadn’t seen him since the night at the Timberbeast. He tipped his chin and came over to take the now empty chair across from me.

“What are you up to?” I asked.

“Just grabbing some coffee. Day off or are you working undercover or something?” He gestured to my plain clothes.