in this town knows each other, you know?” He let took in a sharp breath. “Oliver’s death is a loss to all of us. I’m gonna make sure everything’s done right.”
“Your grandmother thinks he was murdered.”
“My grandmother does know everything.”
It didn’t seem he was being even the least bit sarcastic.
“You are such a grandmama’s boy,” I said.
Bay smiled. “You should be glad I am, she’s the one who told me I should make you my woman.” He pulled me back in and planted another kiss on my lips.
“Oh so if she hadn’t of told you?” I cocked my head and looked into his eyes.
“You’d be standing in this closet all by yourself.”
“I really don’t know why I’m even in this closet.”
“Anyway,” he said rubbing my cheek with the back of his fingers. “We’ll know soon enough if Oliver was murdered. The Bureau’s medical examiner works fairly quickly. He’s thorough, though. Doesn’t miss much.”
“Miss Vivee thinks she already knows the cause of death.”
“And what is that,” he asked, his voice was low and he was staring at me. I don’t really think he was listening to me.
“She says he was poisoned.”
“Really.” Bay let his eyes drift off from mine. He looked just like Miss Vivee when he did it. I could see her in him. That made me smile.
“Bay,” I got his attention. “She wants me to go and get her a notebook.”
“So go and get her a notebook.” His attention back on me. “They sell ‘em over at Hadley’s. You know, in the town square?” He kissed my forehead, then my cheek.
“You don’t understand,” I said and backed up from him. “It’s for her investigation of the murder.”
“Oh no.” Bay chuckled and pulled me back to him. “My two best girls thinking they’re in an Agatha Christie novel. So what? You two outsmarted the Sheriff in Gemma Burke’s case, now you think you can get in front of my investigation.”
“Not me!” I said. “That’s your grandmother.”
“Yeah, right,” he said pulling me back to him, he reached up and gave a tug on the light chain, enveloping us again into total darkness. Giving me kisses on my neck he said, “A little old lady making you do things,” he kissed the other side of my neck. “Probably threatening you . . .” He nibbled my ear. “And you just have to obey.”
He pressed his lips again mine and I parted mine ever so slightly to meet his . . .
“That Ron Anderson is here to see you,” Miss Vivee said. She had swung the door open, letting in all the light from the foyer, and all the eyes from the dining room. She stood staring at us, with Cat wagging her tail at her feet. “He said he wants to talk to you.”
Oh my gosh. How embarrassing.
I licked my lips and smoothed down my hair.
“You better come out here and talk to him,” she said. “Because if you don’t, I’ma get my snake gun and shoot him.”
Snake gun?
“Where is he, Grandmother?” Bay said. He gave me a peck on the lips and stepped out of the closet.
“I didn’t let him in. He’s waiting on the porch.”
“Grandmother,” Bay said and shook his head. “Where’s your Southern hospitality?”
I’ll show that man a hospital room. That’s all I know about being hospitable to that goat,” she said. “C’mon, Cat.”
Miss Vivee sat and Cat jumped on her lap. I sat down next to her as Bay opened the door.
Time for round two, I guess.
“C’mon in, Mr. Anderson,” Bay said, apparently trying to make up the for Miss Vivee’s lack of manners.
“I’m just letting you know, out of courtesy,” Ron Anderson said unceremoniously to Bay as he walked through the door. “We’ll be staying at the beach house. It’s our house anyway since Oliver’s dead.”
“You can’t stay at the house, Mr. Anderson.” Bay seemed to try to be patient with the man. “It’s a crime scene.”
“I drove by there. Doesn’t look like a crime scene to me. And from what I’ve heard from this pitiful place you call a town, he died out on the beach. Not at the house.”
Bay looked over at the two of us, letting his eyes rest on his grandmother. Then his eyes darted between Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. He took in a deep breath and blew it out.
“I’m putting up the tape tonight, Mr. Anderson,” he said. “As soon as I finish speaking with you.”
Mr. Anderson, pulling his belted pants up over his belly, spread his legs shoulder width apart, and