“They’ll cost you a fortune to buy back.”
Julia
Placing my palm on the sensor, I opened the front door as Albert pulled his SUV up to the front steps. Wrapping my arms around myself, I stared out. The spotlights lit the driveway, bringing daylight to darkness, as snowflakes danced in the cold air. A smile broke out on my face as Vicki stepped out of the SUV.
“I love you,” I called from the doorway.
She smiled and shook her head as she came up the steps. “I was thinking I could just keep a room here, you know, for whenever you decide to have a wedding.”
“Don’t jinx this one.”
I closed the door and led Vicki into the house. Still wearing her coat, she stepped through the French doors and looked around the large room. The view beyond the windows was nothing but dark sky. A fire flickered in the fireplace. Looking up and around, she turned a circle. “It’s so weird. I don’t recall leaving here. I woke up at the hospital in Ashland.”
“I’m sorry.”
She wrapped her arms around me. “It’s not your fault. First a twin brother and then that. The good part is that crazy bitch is locked up.”
“Shh,” I whispered as I peered toward Van’s office. “That crazy bitch’s sister is here. We should probably refrain from name-calling.”
Small ice crystals glistened in Vicki’s dark hair. She stopped unbuttoning her coat as her forehead furrowed. “Hersisteris here? Why?”
“As it turns out, she’s one of Van’s best friends.”
“Didn’t you say that” —she paused— “nice woman who poisoned us is married to Phillip, Van’s twin?”
“Yes.”
“And Van dated her too.”
“Yes.”
“And now you’re saying that his best friend is his ex’s sister and his brother’s sister-in-law?”
“Yep. There’s even more to the story than that, but that’s good for starters.”
“And this sister is here why?” Vicki asked.
Lifting one finger to pause our conversation, I took Vicki’s coat out to the closet as Albert brought in her bags. “Thank you, Albert. Are you staying here tonight or is Michael?”
“Michael, Ms. McGrath. I’ll be monitoring the gate and cameras. He should be here soon. I think he’s having dinner at the guesthouse. You know, I could get very used to Mrs. Mayhand’s cooking.”
“I do know. She’s fantastic.”
“One more thing.”
“Yes?”
“I sent Mr. Sherman a text message. He gave me the card you had for Patrol Officer Howard. I contacted her and she’ll be here in the morning.”
I took a deep breath. “I guess that’s what I wanted—multiple law-enforcement agencies.”
“Multiple?”
“Officer Lawson from Ashland will be here at nine tomorrow.”
Alberts’s eyebrows arched. “Sounds busy.”
“Oh, and there is the little thing about us finally getting married.”