Page 61 of Chilled

“What do you mean?”

Alice shrugged and went back to cutting the cake. “Just that you’ve only known each other a couple of days. It’s hard to tell at this point if the attraction will last.” Her words came out quicker than casual conversation, and her hands shook as she laid a slab of cake on a plate.

Brenna bit into her bottom lip. Now was the time to ask Alice about her marriage. But how, without letting her know she’d seen Dr. Drummond’s records? “Alice, are you happy?”

“Who me?” She didn’t look up but slid the knife into the cake again. “Of course, I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Are you and Stan doing okay?”

“Now, don’t try to turn this conversation away from you. I won’t let you.” Alice shook a finger at her sister and jerked a drawer open.

“Sometimes, I worry about you,” Brenna said softly.

“Don’t be silly. Stan and I have a good marriage. He provides for us, and we want for nothing.”

“Nothing, huh?” Brenna almost snorted but held back at the last minute.

“Stop.” Her sister stared across the counter, her smile gone. “I know you and he don’t get along, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends. And stop worrying about me. I’m fine.”

“Do you have any regrets?”

Alice reached up and pushed a lock of her golden-blond hair behind her ear, smearing chocolate icing on her cheek. “No. I can never regret Brandon and Luke. And Stan takes care of us.”

Brenna lifted her chin toward her sister. “You have chocolate on your cheek.”

Alice grabbed a paper towel and wiped the icing off her face.

“Do you love him?” Brenna asked.

Alice gave a shaky laugh and lifted two plates of cake. “Of course, I do. Now, take this out to your man before he thinks we took the cake and ran with it.”

Brenna grabbed the plates but looked into her sister’s eyes as she did. “You know I’m always here if you need someone to talk to.”

“I know, sweetie. I know.” Alice smiled her normal smile. “You shouldn’t be worrying about me. You have a murder to solve.”

“Right.” Her sister didn’t want to talk. Brenna swallowed her disappointment. Now might not be the time, but she would make the effort before she left Riverton. “I hope you won’t be insulted if we cut loose right after dessert. We have to get some sleep before we go on duty tonight.”

“You’re working a night shift?” Alice’s brows rose. “I thought only cops worked all-nighters. You’re an investigator. Why can’t you keep normal hours?”

“Because psycho killers don’t.” Brenna smiled at her sister and backed into the swinging door. “Come on, this cake smells delicious.”

As she laid the cake in front of Nick, she plastered on her best poker face, hoping he hadn’t overheard any of their conversation about him in the kitchen.

Alice looked around the corner of the dining room. “Where’d Stan go?”

“He went to notify the church of Dr. Drummond’s passing... Something about a phone chain,” Nick said, his breath a soft puff against Brenna’s arm.

Her hand jerked, and the plate teetered as she set it on the table's edge.

Nick grabbed her wrist and helped the plate to a safer resting place. “I like to eat my cake, not wear it.” He winked up at her.

Brenna backed away and carried her plate to the other side of the table, her gaze locked on the cake while concentrating on reducing her heartbeat to a normal pace.

How could a man she’d only known for two days turn her into a jittery idiot? Taking her seat, she inhaled and exhaled slowly before she lifted her fork and dug into her cake.

“I saw that about Dr. Drummond,” Alice said between bites. “Very sad news. They also reported a third woman went missing since we last talked, but they won’t release names until the families are notified. Anybody I know? Or are you allowed to discuss this?”

“There’s a total of four now. I don’t know if you know any of the rest of them. They were new to me,” Brenna said. “Dr. Deborah Gomez from the university, a woman who worked at the biolab, Willa Stinson and the real estate lady, Michelle Carmichael.”

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