Page 58 of A Little Bit Whiskey
“Have you ever talked to my dad about this? Or Fred?” Noir opened the door and helped her down the freshly shoveled path. It was too cold and snowy to walk, so they would drive over to the winery. It wasn’t that far, but it made the most sense.
“No. Not really.”
“Why not?” Noir opened the car door, helping Tamsyn into the passenger seat, lifting her dress so it didn’t touch the snow. “They might have some insight.”
“I have my reasons and I need you to trust me.”
“I do, I just don’t understand.” He closed the door and jogged around the hood. Slipping behind the wheel, he pressed the start button. The engine roared to life. He hit the gas, easing down the drive. “My folks will meet us in my mom’s office in the winery. They don’t have much time. Anna and Mrs. Cummings are making my mom nuts. Mrs. Cummings is once again dressed as Mrs. Claus and my mom wants to rip the damn costume off her.”
Tamsyn laughed. “She dresses like that every year.”
Noir parked on the side of the building where deliveries took place. It had been roped off to the public. He guided Tamsyn through the back door. No one would see them come in the winery. He took Tamsyn’s hand and led her through the gift shop, which wouldn’t be open until after the showcase. They climbed the staircase to his mom’s office.
His gut twisted. He did trust Tamsyn. She was his world. The air that he breathed. He’d be lost without her, but not knowing the extent of her plan made him nervous. She might have a gun strapped to her leg, but going rogue made her dangerous.
Perhaps not in a good way.
He was going to have to find a way to talk with his dad in private.
“You have ten minutes,” his mom said at the top of the stairs. She waved them into her office.
His father leaned against the desk. “Son.” He nodded. “Tamsyn. You look beautiful this evening.”
“Thank you.” Tamsyn shed her coat, resting it on the back of one of the chairs before sitting in it. “I appreciate you meeting with me before the showcase started.”
“I only agreed because you said it was important.” His mom closed the door. “I have to say, you look stunning in that dress.” She smiled. “Now, what can we do for you? Because I need to get back to the ballroom before Anna takes over my show.”
Tamsyn fiddled with the pendant.
Shit. Was she trying to get a reaction from his parents? What the fuck kind of game was she playing?
Noir shifted his gaze between his parents.
His dad hadn’t moved from his spot on the desk. He looked relaxed. When he felt backed into a corner, his facial muscles tightened. He folded his arms across his chest. Or he paced.
He did none of those things.
His mother sat next to Tamsyn and looked at her intently, waiting patiently for Tamsyn to speak. But there wasn’t a hint of recognition. She didn’t appear to be fazed.
His mother wasn’t a good actress, contrary to popular belief. She was dramatic. Over the top. But she wore her emotions on her sleeve.
“I’m going to tell you a couple of things that I could lose my job over,” Tamsyn said.
His mom rested her hand on Tamsyn’s leg. “I don’t want you to do that.”
“Me neither,” his dad said. “We understand that you’re in a difficult situation. But don’t put your career in jeopardy for us. We’re well aware that come tomorrow, we’ll be taken in for official questioning.”
“Fred’s taken away my access,” Tamsyn said. “As far as this case is concerned, I’m the family member. I’ll be told what’s going on, but I won’t be able to see anything. The last piece of information I saw was the autopsy report.”
“Fred executed a warrant earlier today for our weapons,” his mom said. “He told us your mom was murdered. He didn’t give us any details other than a gunshot.”
“There was something in the autopsy report that doesn’t make sense to me. There was something found with the body that belonged to my mother that was so personal, but last week, I found that same item stuffed in the cottage bathroom medicine cabinet.”
“You haven’t told anyone about that,” his father said. “Which doesn’t help us. It actually hurts.”
“Yes and no,” Tamsyn said.
“What is the item?” his mother asked.
