Page 25 of Intolerable Bishop

Myles held the photo down to me and covered up the Yu. “I think it’s either a misspelling since it’s messy, or Theo is right, and Lilianna wasn’t her real name. She might not have liked her name, Snowflake. You go by yer middle name. Do ya go around tellin’ everyone that?” Myles had a point.

I looked up at him. “I know what you’re saying is logical and probably true, but I was her daughter. She would’ve told me something like that, right? Or I would’ve seen it on official medical records? I helped with her care and saw all the paperwork and prescription bottles.”

He shook his head. “Who knows? Take the photo, and let’s see if we can find any more with the mystery person. That building looks familiar. Theo?”

Theo grabbed the picture and stared so long that I didn’t think he was going to answer. “I can only think of one place that building matches from memory, and it’s in Moscow.” He snapped a pic of the photo before handing it back. “I’ll look it up when we get back to your house to be sure.”

“Moscow? What would my mum be doing in Russia?”

The door opened, and my aunt’s happy voice sang into the room. “I’m back. I think I got too much food,” she laughed and then looked into the dining room at us, her smile falling. “What’s wrong?”

“Nadia, was my mum ever in Moscow before I was born?”

She turned and set the bags on the kitchen table. “Um, I think for a business trip. An art thing. You’re pulling on old memories,” she said and smiled over her shoulder at me. “Why?”

I was reading too much into everything. Just because I hadn’t traveled anywhere didn’t mean that no one did. My mum could’ve traveled the world and dated fifty guys before she settled down with my dad. I slumped in the chair. For just a second, I thought I was getting closer to figuring out some answers.

“Do you know who this is,” I asked, holding up the photo. Nadia walked over and took the picture from me. “Or why my mum’s name is spelled wrong on the back?”

“Honestly, sweetie, I don’t know. Probably someone she met on her trip, and the name is scribbled. It could’ve been written too fast.” She handed the photo back. “I wish I could be more help.”

“It’s okay, thanks anyway.” Myles squeezed my shoulder, and just having him touch me made me feel better.

“Well, come on and eat while it’s hot. We can play cards or sit by the pool. I just had it cleaned, and it’s all warmed up if you want to go for a night swim.”

“That sounds great, Nadia,” Blake said.

Instead of finding answers, all I ever did was find more questions, and they just kept me chasing my tail. Apparently, it was a good thing that my career aspirations didn’t involve being a private detective.

MAY 20 – SATURDAY 9:44 PM

Theo

I grabbed Myles and Blake’s arms as they went to walk inside Ren’s home. “I need to speak with the two of you before you go to bed,” I whispered.

They nodded as we stepped into the house.

“I’m really sorry. I know it is early, but I’m beat. I think I’m going to turn in early,” Ren said, and Ivy yawned, proclaiming the same thing.

“I’m still wide awake. You guys want to play a few hands of poker,” I asked, and Blake and Myles agreed, which gave us the excuse to stay up and talk. I waited until the door to the bedroom was closed, and I turned on the music before grabbing the cards and dealing a hand.

“What’s going on,” Blake asked once we were all seated together.

“I think we’ve been looking into the wrong family member. That’s why we can’t find anything on Neil Davies or Ren,” I said, and both Myles and Blake’s eyebrows shot up.

“Why, what did you find out,” Myles asked.

“For starters, have you two not noticed something strange about the Yukon,” I asked, picking up my cards and organizing them without really paying attention. They looked at one another and then shook their heads. “Okay, from this moment on, both of you need to start looking closer at everything. And I do mean everything.”

“Ya need to tell us what ya know, and by the look on yer face, I’m wishing I’d brought a gun.”

“Yes, I’m sure they would’ve let you through customs with a concealed firearm.” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t worry. If my hunch is right, we’ll find some weapons in this house.”

Blake ran his hands through his hair. “Enough with the dancing around. I know you like to draw shit out, but you’re getting to my anxiety.”

“The Yukon is bulletproof,” I said, and their mouths dropped. “Not Neil’s car, the one that a mother and daughter would be driving. Not only that, but I’m positive that the building was in Moscow, which would only be mildly strange, but Nadia was lying.”

“You think she knows more than what she said?” Myles grabbed drinks from the fridge and set them down for us.