Page 41 of Crossroads Magic
Her gaze fell on the visitors and her frown deepened even more. Then she glanced at the table of locals. I wasn’t sure, but I thought that she was checking on Broch. Did she know that the hikers were considered enemies of Broch, too?
Benedict, though, lowered his tankard, watching the woman with a wary expression.
Her scowl didn’t shift as she swung her gaze around the room once more. It settled on me. The scowl shifted to a neutral expression. She headed toward me with a determined, long-legged stride.
“You’re Thamina’s daughter?” It was barely a question.
I held out my hand. “Anna Crackstone.”
“Harper Gibbs.” She left my hand hanging in space.
I lowered it back to my knee. Harper had been one of the names Olivia had rattled off when counting up the residents of the Crossing. “You live here?” I made it a question to be polite.
“Five years.” Her tone was dismissive. “You’ve been asking questions, making everyone think you suspect them of murdering Thamina.”
“Hey, Harper, take it easy,” Hirom said. “She just got here and it’s her mother who died.”
“And the Sheriff’s department don’t seem to be interested in investigating,” I added. “Someone must.”
“Why?” Harper demanded. “Your mother died by her own hand. Anyone could see that.” Her voice was low, with a burr to it that made it interesting to listen to.
“My mother wouldn’t do that,” I shot back. But I was uncomfortable claiming it, for how much did I really know my mother? Her journals and workbooks had demonstrated that there was a great deal about her that I hadn’t known at all.
“None of us would kill her,” Harper shot back. “Especially Benedict.”
I blinked. Was she rushing to his rescue? “Umm….”
“You think he killed her because it was his knife,” Harper insisted, her hand on her hip, throwing the coat open.
“I honestly don’t know what to think, right now.” I put my feet on the floor and kept my hands on my knees. Every instinct I had was telling me to stand up and brace myself.
I couldn’t see Benedict, behind her. I couldn’t measure his reaction to Harper squaring off with me.
Harper was clearly expecting more from me. I was tempted to just shut up and see what she came back with, but decided to spare her. She was a resident. I was the stranger here. “It’s not just the knife. Benedict hasn’t an alibi for the night of the solstice.”
“The twenty-first?” Her gaze was steady, her eyes flat, all expression gone. “He was with me. All night.”
I was glad my hands were on my knees. I rode out the surprise by squeezing my knees and not breathing.
But why was I so shocked? He’d said he’d been in bed during the critical hours. He’d failed to mention he hadn’t been alone, but that could simply be discretion at play. Only why not mention Harper was with him and be done with it? Why lie? And hehadlied about some aspect of his night. I was sure of it.
Was it simply the lie of omission I’d sensed? If he wasn’t practiced at lying, perhaps he’d given himself away with some microscopic body language I had picked up on.
It could be that simple. And that complicated.
I drew in a deep, deep breath, and tried to avoid telegraphing that I was recovering from my surprise. “I see.” I kept my voice flat so I gave away nothing.
Harper nodded. “So we are done with this nonsense, then?”
I pressed my lips together. “It does seem to put both you and Benedict in the clear,” I admitted.
She let the coat drop closed. “Good.” She whirled and stalked out of the bar. I could almostseethe trails of steam lingering in the air behind her.
Now she was gone, the table of locals was visible again. They wereallwatching me, including Juda, who had clearly shifted from his introspective mood.
I turned to Hirom, who hadn’t bothered moving away from what could have been a private conversation. I told myself he considered anything he heard in here privileged information. I raised my brows. “She seems…”
“‘Pissed’ is the word you’re looking for,” Hirom said.
