Page 151 of Evil Bones
I whirled to face Slidell.
“It’s an Amazon driver,” I said.
“There you go agai—”
“An Amazon truck has been present every time something’s gone down.”
“You got any idea how many of those truck—”
“There’s one outside on the street right now.”
Slidell’s features rearranged into an expression I couldn’t read.
“The person who abducted me smelled of this crap.” I jabbed a finger at a six-ounce bottle of Van Dyke’s Finishing Deodorizer. “I’m guessing that the driver of the truck out there lives in this house, and that he probably reeks of this stuff.”
“I’ll be goddammed.”
Face graveyard grim, Slidell yanked his mobile from his belt, whirled, and charged up the stairs.
I was right on his heels.
CHAPTER 34
Only one thing was missing from my vision.
The windows were covered with old-fashioned wooden blinds. Not a square inch of chintz in sight.
The resort was called Echoing Pines on Lake Lure. Unlike Harvard Boynton’s trailer park, the place was delivering on everything promised in its name. And it was a welcome escape from the heat still holding firm in Charlotte.
Our room was large enough to accommodate paired double beds, bureaus, and side tables, all made of over-varnished blond oak. A brick fireplace filled one wall, faced by rockers whose backstory might have involved the Amish.
A week had passed since the events at the Marlwood house. Days filled with police statements and lineups—and with a zillion reassurances to friends and family that I was okay.
Ryan and I were sharing a swing on the inn’s enormous front porch. He had one long leg stretched out to the railing and, now and then, was giving a gentle shove to encourage the movement that was making me slightly queasy.
“Très scénique, oui?”Ryan drew me close with an arm already wrapping my shoulders.
“Beautiful,” I agreed.
Teakettle-teakettle-teakettle.
“What bird is that?” Ryan asked.
“I think it’s a Carolina wren.”
“Talented fellow.”
“How do you know it’s a guy?” I asked.
“While you were doing whatevertoiletteit is that you do, I flipped through the magazine provided by our kindly host. According to some Audubon enthusiast, only the males sing.”
“Did he introduce himself as Jedediah?”
“The bird?” Ryan said, smiling.
“Our host.”
“He did.”
