Savannah must have sensed my hesitation. With a sympathetic smile, she met my eyes. "I know you don't know me, but I promise we'll take good care of August. Whatever's going on, he'll be safe with us."
The metal around my wrist reminded me I had no choice but to trust her.
Leaning down, I pressed my forehead to August's. "I'll come to check on you soon. Have fun and mind your manners."
August tapped his forehead against mine, the gesture so familiar and comforting it brought tears to my eyes. "It's okay, Mom, I'll be good."
"I know you will," I whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
My August could be a little smart-ass, but he was also sweet-natured, cuddly, and smart as a whip. Not for the first time, I wished I'd had any other option than to bring him along on this wild goose chase. If my parents had been in town… But they hadn't.
They were currently somewhere in Canada, enjoying their spiffy new RV and my dad's recent retirement. My mom could work from anywhere so they'd sold their house and headed out to explore the world. At least, those parts accessible by RV. They would have come home if I'd called. I knew they would. But they were at least three days’ drive away and I hadn't had that kind of time. August and I were on our own.
Straightening, I ruffled August's hair and gave him a final reminder. "Use your fork."
August stared at the ceiling for patience. "I will!"
With a snort, I pushed him towards Savannah. "Thank you."
"Anytime," she said with a smile, taking August's hand in hers. "Nicky is working on using his fork, but he doesn't quite have it down yet. Maybe you can show him how it's done."
"I can. I'm really good. Sometimes—" August's voice faded as they turned the corner and disappeared.
I looked back to find Tenn and Griffen staring at me. Griffen's eyes dropped to the cuffs securing me to Tenn and his gaze hardened. "My office. I want to know what the fuck is going on. Now."
Chapter Eight
SCARLETT
Hope, Royal, and Daisy were waiting for us in Griffen's office along with three untouched plates piled high with eggs, bacon, biscuits, and pancakes. Small crocks of butter and jam sat on the coffee table in the middle of the office.
Royal and Daisy shared one couch. Tenn led me to the other, opposite them. Griffen pulled up an armchair beside Hope's and took his plate from the table.
Tenn leaned forward for his. I used the cuff to jerk him back.
"What?" he asked, eyeing his plate.
I lifted our joined wrists. "Seriously? You have my son. Do you really think I'm going to try to run?"
Cool blue eyes assessed me. He raised one eyebrow in a look so superior I wasn't sure if I wanted to smack him or kiss him. Ugh. No. I definitely wanted to smack him. In a slow, almost taunting drawl, he said, "I'm not sure what you're going to do, Scarlett Hall."
I deserved that. Dropping my arm to the couch, I let out a sigh. "Look, we got off on the wrong foot, and I understand why you don't trust me, but may I please have both my hands to eat? I haven't had anything decent to eat since yesterday at lunch and I'm starving."
Without another word, Tenn unlocked the cuff from his wrist. I would have preferred he removed the cuff on my wrist, but I'd take what I could get. I snagged my plate, trying to follow my own advice and remember my manners instead of diving headfirst into the fluffy eggs and pancakes.
Tenn filled in his family on the events of the morning so far. I had my mouth stuffed with a biscuit and jam when Griffen turned to me and asked, "Does all that line up for you?"
I swallowed, washing down the biscuit with a sip of coffee and wiping my mouth with a napkin before I tried to speak. I was feeling a little more human with some food in my stomach. "I didn't see Tenn talking to Vanessa, but I heard raised voices. Otherwise, yes."
"And there's no way Tenn could have gotten to Vanessa between the last time you saw her and when you found her body?"
"Hey!" Tenn's look of affront was so like August's earlier that I had to bite my lip to hide a smile. "I didn't think I specifically needed to say I didn't shoot her."
Griffen sent Tenn an impatient glare before turning his heavy gaze back to me. When we'd met at the door, Griffen had seemed friendly. Now, the weight of his eyes on me, I remembered that Tenn had said he used to be in security. I could believe it. Beneath the friendly welcome, he was as hard as the granite walls of Heartstone Manor.