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“According to the gossip that was flying around at the time, they were fighting over Lyssa. Bastian was claiming Remy made a move on her. But who knows if that’s true? Word has it they fought over everything.”
“I don’t get the impression that’s changed,” he said dryly.
She chuckled as she glanced up. “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”
“So...if they were fighting over Bastian’s girlfriend, how was it that she was the only one who didn’t survive? You know how it is when someone yellsfight!Everyone gathers around. Where was she?”
“I heard she started crying and locked herself in an upstairs bathroom when it got nasty between Remy and Bastian. Once the fire broke out, with all the panic and screaming and confusion, it wasn’t until the whole house was engulfed that Remy or Bastian or anyone else realized she wasn’t out. That was why Remy attempted to go back in.”
“He tried to rescue her?”
“That’s the story. But the fire was already out of control. Bastian held him back and made him wait for the fire department to arrive, and by then, it was too late.”
Remy didn’t seem like the type who’d risk his own safety for the sake of someone else. But maybe Bo had him all wrong. The dude wanted to be a doctor, didn’t he? “That’s rough. Remy and Bastian must’ve been destroyed. Especially Bastian.”
When Ivy didn’t answer right away, he prodded her. “Don’t you think?”
“I’d hate to guess,” she said. “They’re...unusual. Nothing seems to bother them.”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw them at the coffee shop with some friends only days later, and...”
“It seemed as if nothing had happened?” he guessed.
Although he could tell she didn’t want to admit it, she ultimately nodded.
“Do you find it odd that Bastian was the one holding Remy back, and not the other way around?” he asked. “Since it was Bastian who was in love with Lyssa?”
“That occurred to me, too,” she admitted. “I also found it kind of weird that Bastian would flip-flop so quickly and become Remy’s defender when they’d just been fighting. But who can say what was going through their heads? An emergency like that probably brings what’s most important into focus pretty fast.”
“No doubt,” he said. “I’m sure they felt terrible. And I’m sorry for her family.”
“How would you ever get over that?” She shook her head. “I’m glad you inquired about that picture and were able to get it back to them.”
“Me, too. So...you didn’t know Lyssa?” he asked.
“I knew of her. I’d seen her around the island. But she was a decade or so younger. It wasn’t as if we’d ever hung out.” Finished checking in the books he’d returned, she pushed her chair out so she could get up. “Do you need some help findingThe Good Earth?”
Apparently, she didn’t want to talk about the incident anymore. They’d established a certain rapport, mostly over their love of books, but she probably thought she’d said too much. The Windsors were pretty influential. They could even be among the benefactors of the library.
“No, I’ve got it,” he said. “Thanks again.”
22
Ismay was grateful Jack was busy building the fence around the garden today because she didn’t feel she could entertain him. She was too caught up in her own problems. She’d spent another miserable night watching that video of Remy with “Sam” at the restaurant over and over. After holding Bo’s hand and leaning into him for a few moments the night before last on the beach, she wasn’t exactly filled with righteous indignation. She felt a degree of guilt herself. But she decided it was time for them to have a talk, whether Remy had exams or not. She couldn’t put her life on hold any longer. The emotions churning in her gut were consuming her.
She held her breath as she tried to call him. It was early in California, but she was hoping to catch him before he left for the day.
Maybe he was at Sam’s house, and the two of them were still in bed...
The mental image that created made her nauseous, but she knew they’d been together last night, and if she wasn’t there to give him a reason to come home, why would he? No doubt, he felt he was in the clear. She could now understand why he was so adamant that she travel to Mariners ahead of him. It enabled him to have a last hurrah before he joined her.
Or that was what she suspected...
His voice mail came on, but she didn’t leave a message. She texted him instead.
I need to talk to you. It’s important.
