Page 31 of Beneath Still Waters

“That’s fine. I’m sure you have people at Wayside to talk to. Just don’t let it fester. I can’t tell you how many cases I’ve worked where if people had simply had a conversation with each other, it all could’ve been avoided. People can’t stop thinking that their personal belief about what someone will say or feel isabsolute fact. It’s not. Often, it doesn’t mean what they actually think or feel.” He popped another fry into his mouth and grinned. “That’s the end of my psych consult. That’ll be $500.”

Ferd snorted and let herself laugh. “You are an expensive person to eat dinner with.”

He frowned. “Partner. Temporary partner. Don’t let it go to your head.”

She couldn’t help laughing. That worked for her. She lifted her glass in a faux toast to signal her agreement. “So, partner, where do we go from here?”

His phone buzzed and he glanced at it. “Not sure. I just got a text. They were able to dredge the box from the bottom of Red Lake, but since the lock had been cut, water filled it and there was nothing left inside. I destroyed evidence without meaning to.”

“It was an accident. The pulley slipped. When it hit the side of the boat, it sliced the air pocket holding it up. That wasn’t your fault. You did the right thing. How could we have known it was even part of the case unless you looked inside?”

“Did we learn anything from it though? I saw what looked like white powder on the bottom, but I didn’t photograph it. I should’ve. I know mistakes happen, but that was a big one.”

“You were also worried about me. I was freaking out because of the water. It’s just as much on me as it is on you.” If they were temporary partners, the least she could do was be understanding.

“Well, thanks. Unfortunately, either way, that lead is a bust.”

Kelly appeared beside their table, clutching her hands in front of her. “I’m really sorry for interrupting your supper.”

“It’s fine. Is something wrong?” Duke asked as he laid down his fork and focused on her.

“I don’t want you thinking I’m some gossip who spreads rumors without proof. There are enough people who questionedme about it that I figured I needed to provide something. At home, I have one of the cans I cleaned up from his apartment. I’m sure you could test it for his fingerprints or whatever it is you guys do to prove all that stuff. I’m not making up what I said. His apartment was usually pretty clean except for the wall of beer cans on his counter every time I went in there.”

Ferd clenched her jaw to keep from saying what she shouldn’t.Why keep only one can? Why keep any at all?There was no way he could be that sneaky. There were signs. Yet no one could say they’d actually seen him take a drink.

“Is there something special about this can? A reason you kept it?” Ferd set down her fork.

Kelly glanced away. “It was pretty. I know that sounds silly, but I’d never seen one like it.”

“Can you put on a pair of gloves to prevent adding more prints to the can, put it in a plastic seal-top bag, and bring it to my office tomorrow?” Duke asked.

She nodded quickly and backed away a step. “I’d be happy to. That’ll help me sleep a little better. No one wants to believe they might be a murder suspect because of what they said, especially when what they said was true.”

TWENTY-SIX

Ferd sat in front of her dressing mirror in her room, using a wet brush on her mass of curls. Anna lay on her stomach on her bed, looking at some kind of beautiful home magazine. The sound of the turning pages kept time with Ferd’s brush strokes.

Anna glanced up and caught her eye in the mirror. “Evan was talking with me at the pharmacy yesterday. He was asking about your leg and how you’re doing. Is that weird?”

“He's probably just making conversation.” Ferd frowned at her reflection in the mirror. When had she started blindly vouching for people she barely knew? Wasn’t that what everyone had done with Bailey?

“Okay. I suppose it’s normal for a small-town pharmacist to ask how you’re doing. He is the only one in town. It was just odd because he shouldn’t have asked me. I’m your friend. Not you. I tried to tell him I’m not up on your medications and maybe I’m not the person to be talking to. I think you need to let him know that you’re taken.”

Ferd flinched. “Yeah, about that . . .”

“Ah, Ferdie. Did you and Hunter break up? You’d been together for over a year.” She bounced off the bed and hugged Ferd’s neck tightly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Because I made a really bad choice and I don’t want people to think I can’t read people.“I didn’t want you to worry because you’ve got so much to think about with your missing parents. I can handle a little heartbreak on my own.” And the wound that she hadn’t seen his other personality at all.

“Was it something he did, or did you find someone else?” She sat on the edge of the bed with her hands tucked between her knees.

She looked down, unable to hold eye contact. “I can’t believe you think I’d cheat. I wouldn’t ever do that to someone.” Ferd closed her eyes and fought the tears burning to get out.

Stop. You literally never cry. It was only a question.

“I didn’t mean it like that, but I guess that’s how it sounded. When you talked about him, you were always doing things he wanted to do. Never stuff you like doing. I was just thinking that maybe you’d found someone who liked the same things you do. That’s all.”

She swallowed hard, giving her a moment to gather her words. “Forgiven. And no. I don’t plan on moving on any time soon. He wasn’t the guy I thought he was. We’ll leave it at that.”