Knox tilted his head. “Did you know her well?”
“Not really, no.” Dion stilled, eyes widening just a little. “Am I a suspect? Again?”
“No,” Knox lied. Personally, in Dion’s position, Knox wouldn’t have been reassured, but his response immediately put Dion at ease. “I discovered from Jonas that Alethea was acting strangely before she disappeared.”
Dion’s brow creased. “Disappeared?”
“She wasn’t seen by Jonas for at least five and a half months before her death.”
“Really?” Dion blinked. “I had no idea.”
“I’ve been speaking with everyone who spent time with Alethea running up to her disappearance,” Knox again lied. “You were one of them.”
“Well, yes, but it was at least ten months since I last saw her. I was quite surprised when I received her letter, requesting permission to visit. We had history, but that history was rather ancient. I was curious about what she wanted.”
“And?” Knox prodded.
“She said she’d broken up with Thatcher but that he was harassing her, constantly reaching out to touch her mind. She remembered that I have a psychic barrier here stopping telepathic contact from reaching the island—people can talk mind-to-mind while here, but not with someone who isn’t on the island with them. She was hoping I’d give her sanctuary for a short while.” Dion spread his hands. “She said she simply wanted to be left alone. I, of all people, understand the need for solitude.”
“Would you say she acted strangely at all while here?”
“She was tense. Edgy.” Dion paused. “She spoke of you.”
“Did she?”
“She said she’d always considered you a friend, and she felt that she’d lost that friendship since you met your mate. It saddened her. Especially since, right then, she felt you were the only person who could help her.”
Knox couldn’t imagine Alethea ever admitting to needing aid with anything. He had to wonder if she’d been playing Dion. But for what purpose? “Help her with what?”
“She wouldn’t say. I tried to get her to open up about her problems, but she would always give me this sad look and then shake her head.”
Knox twisted his mouth. “Did you give her a tour of your museum?”
“Several, actually.”
“What about the incorporeal demon you keep in there? Did you show her that?”
Dion went rigid. “How do you know about the incorporeal?” he asked flatly.
“I know many things.”
When Knox didn’t elaborate, Dion cleared his throat and spoke. “Yes, well, I did show her. I keep it in a display case—you can see the demon moving around, if you look close enough.” His eyes lit up, as if just talking about one of his collectibles got him excited. “Sometimes it even glows, you know. I’m not sure if that means it’s attempting to use power, but that would be my best guess.”
“Did Alethea show any interest in it?”
“Yes, she was quite fascinated by it, in fact. She wanted to know all about how I came to own it. Wanted to know if I’d ever free it or consider making a bargain with it. Of course, I have no intention of doing either.” Dion gave him a wry smile. “According to Al
ethea, that makes me a bore. If that is the case, so be it—an incorporeal on the loose can never be a good thing.”
“I agree. Do you still have the incorporeal?”
Dion’s brow puckered. “Yes, of course.”
“Can I see it?”
Eyes brightening, Dion stood. “If you have the time, I can give you a full tour of the museum. But if you’re in a rush, I can simply bring the display case to you.”
Remaining seated, Knox said, “I’m afraid I don’t have very long.”