“Most excellent,” Loretta declared loyally.
Evie inhaled Jax’s raw male scent along with that of charcoaled beef and hot buttered garlic. Maybe she should move to the city and leave temptation behind. “Thank you, tadpole. An old family recipe handed down from Mr. Pizza Palace. Did Troy interview Geoff? He’s a nice guy and my entire illusion of Afterthought will crumble if he’s a killer.”
“Geoff did time as a juvie before you were born. He was in Iraq. Can’t do that wit’out killin’, sorrymon ami.”
Jax took his tempting scents back to the grill. “Hayes is a wheeler-dealer. I wouldn’t trust him with my taxes. Once he learned my income sources, he’d use my info for sale or trade. I’ll trust a computer first—that’s where anonymity works.” He brought the platter of steaks to the table.
“Well, everyone needs a hobby.” Evie took the smallest piece and cut it in half to share with Loretta. “Geoff calls it helping out. You’d call it meddling. His aura says his conscience is clear.”
“When he meddles to help himself, it’sdealing. If he does it because he genuinely believes he’s helping others, then maybe he’s one of the good ones.” Jax stabbed one of the larger steaks. “Jury’s out until I know more. Did Troy learn why Geoff was with Clancy?”
“He was dealin’,” Roark said with a snort. “Sheriff’s report says Clancy got rich clients Hayes wanted. He says they were dickerin’ over different angles to move the clients’ business from outta town accountants to Hayes.”
“Makes sense.” Evie dismissed this as a clue. “Geoff’s clients used to be mostly farmers and truck drivers. After H&R Block moved in, he probably saw the writing on the wall and went hunting corporate clients. Clancy had those connections.”
“Huh. Who’s gonna take Clancy’s investment office now?” Reuben asked, finishing up his salad. “Maybe it’s as simple as that.”
“The clients technically belong to the brokerage Clancy worked for. They’ll just send another broker.” Jax studied his beer bottle. “Clancy probably knew a lot about his clients—who was losing money, who just came into riches. But that gives Geoff good reason to want him alive. Maybe Clancy was a blackmailer.”
“I want to talk to Clancy’s ghost again.” There, she’d put it out there. This was what she did. “I’ll look at that key list tonight and see if someone can let me in after hours.”
“Who? The someone who used those same keys to clear out Clancy’s files?” Jax asked cynically. “Not sounding like a good plan.”
Evie rolled up a piece of bread and flung it at him. “I’ll read their auras, okay? If they have an ugly one like yours, I won’t tell them what I want.”
“Now, now, children.” Reuben snatched the bread basket away before Jax could reach for it. “You know there have to be copies of those keys everywhere. Someone needs to suggest that the locks be changed. We’re expert locksmiths.”
Good idea, except Evie wanted in there tonight, not next month.
Jax intervened before she could protest. “Which reminds me, I think I need security cameras in the office, sooner than later. I bring my laptop home and the most recent files are here, so thieves can’t find much yet, but they don’t know that. I’d like to know if anything happens while I’m not there.”
“Geoff has keys,” Evie said wickedly. “They just have to offer him something he wants and anyone can walk in.”
“Saves having the door broken in. I’d still like to know who. Swenson wants those machines destroyed.” Jax bit into his steak with relish. “I want new locks before I move in confidential files.”
It didn’t take the ravaging horde long to devour everything it had taken Evie an hour to prepare. The sun would be up for another few hours. Deciding she didn’t need nighttime to talk to a ghost in city hall on a weekend, Evie picked up her plate. “I prepared the salad. You clean up. Loretta, you know how to get to Gracie’s on your own, don’t you?”
Loretta had agreed to keep Aster occupied while Gracie sewed her daughter’s birthday dress. The kid grinned and ran for her bicycle, avoiding the clean-up.
“You need a dishwasher,” Roark hollered after Evie.
“I need a kitchen counter first,” she shouted back as she climbed the back steps. “Otherwise, I got you, bébé.”
Leaving her utensils in the sink, she proceeded straight through the house, grabbing her tote bag on the way. She didn’t plan to give them time to realize she was gone.
* * *
Strollingpast the overlarge gardenia in the front yard, Evie’s look of triumph turned to a glare as Jax met her on the other side of the bush.
“Are you following me?” she demanded.
“Nope. I’m assisting you. That’s what you do, isn’t it?” Jax fell into step with her. When Evie became predictable, he was in trouble.
“I’m sure you have better things to do. Look at all those files R&R dug out for you. Tons of clues. Just follow the paper trail.”
“You could be reading the sheriff’s file, but paper doesn’t give off auras, and reading isn’t what you do, is it? Who do you plan to hit up?” He jiggled the keys in his pocket, satisfied that he was finally figuring her out.
Evie signed in exasperation. “I can always call Helena, but I didn’t want to involve anyone else if it could be avoided. That includes you.”