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He looked up from his paper. “Stepcousin?”
“Ginny. She’s a few years older than me. Her dad married Grannie’s sister, but the marriage ended before Ginny got used to calling my grandmother Auntie Rose.”
“Where are Ginny and her father now?”
“Her dad’s dead, and Ginny lives here in Mystic Harbor. She’s a caregiver for a man who’s mostly homebound.”
He nodded slowly and made a few more notes. “Would any of your distant relatives benefit from harming you or your grandmother?”
“I doubt it. When I say they never visit, what I mean is that they don’t write or call or even send a Christmas card. We have no communication with them at all.”
“Why not?”
I shrugged. “Grannie only had one child, my mother, and Dad’s relatives have busy lives. They weren’t interested in being a part of mine, so we’ve basically lost touch.”
“If you can give me their names and where they live, I’ll check them out before crossing them off the list.”
“I doubt they’re involved. Grannie is comfortable, but she’s not wealthy. Her only big asset is a building on Main Street with a few storefronts. I rent one for Creature Cones. She owns her home, but it’s a small ranch. I live in the apartment above the garage. When she was discharged, the rehab center said she’d need help for awhile, though the physical therapist who comes in twice a week said she’ll be able to get around without the walker soon. Since I want to keep Grannie in her home as long as possible, I moved into the apartment. I plan to remain there indefinitely.”
“That’s admirable.”
“She raised me. It’s my turn to help her.”
“Give me the names of those who attend the social club, and I’ll start looking into this.”
I listed them off. “I’d like to be involved in the case if I can. I’m sure I’ll be able to add insight.”
“I usually work alone.”
“Can you make an exception in this case?”
He gave me a long look before laying his pen on the paper. “Alright. We’ll handle it together.”
4
ELRIK
Why was I so eager to include Melly in this investigation? As I told her, I always worked alone. I wasn’t eager to take on a sidekick in a case like this. And I hadn’t even asked Katar if such a thing was allowed.
But this case shouldn’t be dangerous. We were talking about someone slipping Xylitol into a punchbowl, not arsenic. Someone probably did it as a prank, not realizing the substance could be toxic to someone with kidney disease. They’d come forward soon and confess, and we’d close the case. There was no reason I couldn’t take some time during the investigation to get to know her better.
Despite telling myself I wasn’t going to get involved with anyone else again, I liked her. She was gorgeous. Extra curvy—just the way I liked a woman. I couldn’t decide if her eyes were green, gray, or brown, and I wanted to stare into them for hours until I decided. It was all I could do not to get out of my chair, round my desk, and tug her up to face me. I’d run my fingers through herdark hair gleaming in the muted light, stroke her cheeks, and tease the pad of my thumb across the tiny dimple in her chin.
Kiss her.
Hold on. I couldn’t kiss her. I’d promise myself I wasn’t going to date anyone, be with anyone, or kiss anyone for a while. It had only been a few months since Brittney ditched me for my brother. Rebound relationships never worked out.
Yet here I was . . .
I hadn’t made a true vow not to go out with anyone. It was a mental suggestion, one that my heart and body were rebelling against already.
For now, I needed to focus on this investigation.
“I’d like to speak with your grandmother about this,” I said.
Melly lifted her phone. “Do you want me to call her again?”
“In person might work best. Do you think she’d be willing to talk to me now?”
