Page 36 of Hell Hath No Fury

Eric looked like he hadn’t slept in a month. Had the skin around his eyes appeared that bruised when she and Matthias arrived only a half hour earlier?

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He didn’t reply. His gaze drifted past her to Nell, who hadn’t moved from her spot on the floor. To Emma, he whispered, “We have to keep her safe.”

Emma’s chest tightened. “What do you mean?” she asked, matching his whisper. “Surely the police don’t believe she had anything to do with Sonny’s death?”

Eric slumped against the door jamb. “I don’t know what they believe where Nell’s concerned, but I’m pretty sure I’m at the top of their suspect list. And if I’m in jail, I won’t be able to protect her.” His voice dropped so low, Emma had to lean closer to hear him say, “From herself.”

“How can you be on their suspect list at all? You were nowhere near here. I know, because I was trying to call you.”

“My phone was here, so they can’t use it to track my whereabouts. I have no receipts. No proof of where I was.”

“Is Fergusson still downstairs?”

“No, he’s gone. For now.” Eric gave Emma a sheepish grin. “He wants to talk to you again, but Matthias told him you were up here in the bathroom because you had food poisoning.”

“Fergusson believed him?”

“Matthias also pointed out he didn’t have a warrant to search my house.” Eric looked past Emma, raising his voice to a normal volume. “Speaking of your hot cop and food, he’s downstairs, whipping up a feast. You girls have to be famished.”

Nell drew her legs in as if seated in one of the yoga classes she used to teach a lifetime ago. “I’m not hungry.”

“You have to eat something.” Emma moved to stand over her and offered a hand to help her up. “Mom would say you’re nothing but skin and bones.”

“Mom’s gone,” Nell snapped. “Dad’s gone. Zeke’s gone. There’s no one left who cares.”

“I care,” Emma told her.

“So do I,” Eric said. “How can you say you have no one? You have us. You’ll always have us.”

Nell mumbled something Emma couldn’t make out. “What’d you say?” Emma asked.

“Nothing.” Nell heaved an exhausted sigh. “Fine. I’ll try to eat something.” She waved Emma away, placed one foot on the floor in front of her, and popped up without the aid of her hands or Emma’s.

“I remember when you taught me how to do that move,” Emma said with a grin, which Nell didn’t return.

Emma led the way down the staircase, following the tantalizing aromas wafting from the kitchen.

Matthias was in his element and wore a guilty smile. “You need to make a grocery run,” he told Eric. “I cleared out your fridge, including all your leftovers.”

“That’s okay. I was planning to place an order once we got home anyway.”

Emma hadn’t realized how starved she was until faced with the spread Matthias laid out on the island—plated omelets along with a buffet of tossed salad, grilled chicken, shrimp, peppers, zucchini, pasta and mushrooms in a buttery sauce, and a loaf of crusty bread.

They filled their plates and took seats around Eric’s table. Even Nell, despite her claims of not being hungry, dug in. For several long moments, they ate in silence.

Eric finally broke the stillness. “Emma, this one’s a keeper. Matthias, you are welcome to use my kitchen any time you want.”

Matthias tipped his head in appreciation.

Nell lowered her fork and shifted to face Eric. “I want to know what’s going on. Why were the police here?”

Eric exchanged glances with Emma and Matthias before setting down his own fork and pressing a napkin to his mouth. “Because someone killed Sonny Jones.”

Nell shot a wild-eyed look at Emma. “You didn’t tell me that.”

“I was going to.”