“Cheers.” May clinked her glass against his.
She liked the way he was looking at her. The small lines around his eyes made him look kind, and his brown eyes were gentle.
May felt a surge of affection for Owen. He’d been a great friend since day one. He didn’t interrupt her daydreams—he didn’t even make any. He was a quiet presence in her life. A support.
The kind of man she could see herself with if she was to get married again. Unlike the drastic temper tantrums that had entered their marital home during her first short-lived marriage.
But how was she even thinking of that topic? May felt stunned it had entered her mind. And as if tuning into her—again—Owen asked, “Your sister, Kerry. How’s the wedding prep going?”
Dragging her focus back to the question, May said, “It’s been demanding. Kerry wants everything to be perfect all the time. Including, and especially, her wedding. So we’re all trying hard to get it that way.”
“I’m sure she’ll have everything she wants,” Owen said with a wry smile that told her he understood her predicament.
“Kerry always gets her goals,” May agreed.
Dan brought the burgers, which looked like the last word in deliciousness. Tall, sumptuous, with thick, browned patties, rich cheese, and just the right amount of pickles and lettuce.
Grabbing a fry and the salt shaker, May felt her mouth water. Time to replenish all the calories she’d spent chasing down Joey.
“I can imagine Kerry always gets what she aims for.” Owen frowned in concentration as he added ketchup to his fries. “But are you okay? Is she pulling you into the preparations that much?”
“I’m okay,” May said. “I’m happy to help. She’s my sister, and she’s getting married to a great guy. I want the best for her. I just feel a bit torn in two.”
She knew—and Owen knew—she was talking about her job and her commitments to her career.
May took a bite of her burger, glad of the distraction. She trusted Owen but all the same she didn’t want to reveal too many of her personal thoughts. Not even to herself, May realized. They were not easy ideas to confront, and in the battle between family loyalty and her dedication to her job, there was also no simple answer.
The burger was delicious. May ate fast and hungrily. She knew that after such a long day, within a few minutes after eating the food, her body would be demanding some shut-eye. With such a pressured case on the go, she needed all the rest she could get in the next few hours.
At that moment, May’s phone beeped.
Checking it, she saw a message from Kerry.
“Hey sis! Your boss just called. Sounds like you’ve got an urgent case down there. No wonder you need my help! I’ve booked on the 5 am flight tomorrow. I’ll be landing at 6 am. Not sure if the rental agencies will be open so early. Small town, you know? Can you pick me up?”
May sighed.
She should have known that having Kerry flying into town would upend her life all over again. But she was right. At that hour, the local rental agencies might not be open, and every second counted in this case.
She took a moment to devour the last bite of burger, and scoop up a forkful of salty fries, before replying.
“Sure. I’ll be there.”
Downing the final gulp of her beer, May tried to make peace with the fact Kerry would be working with her on the case.
It was not a competition, she reminded herself, even though the girls had grown up in a super-competitive environment thanks to her mother, a schoolteacher, who’d pitted them against each other constantly.
This was not that time, May knew. They needed to work together to solve this.
But she couldn’t help hoping that her own efforts would not be overshadowed by the might of the FBI, and that she would be able to contribute to the case to ensure its success.
She feared that it would be taken away from her, and that she would feel, all over again, that she was not good enough to help solve a crime that was devastating her own community. May knew that even though Kerry was going to want to manage this case, she needed to stand up for herself and not let her steamroll over her ideas.
If this crime was committed by a local, then her own local knowledge would be critical to solve it. In fact, May was convinced that this would hold the key. This killer knew the area. He knew the old boathouse and the quietest trails. He’d been able to work in secrecy.
Thinking about it, May was becoming more and more sure that this killer was no stranger and no drifter, but rather somebody from the local community.
First thing tomorrow, May decided, she was going to do her own research on the potential suspects, use her local knowledge, and make a shortlist of people who had links to both these victims.