to strip my color out and put such a light pink shade in. But she’s used to my follicular adventures by now.”
“So wait, you don’t have extensions?” I study her a moment, and she seems to be genuine.
“Nope. Why would you think—” She tips her head back. “You’re thinking about that pink hair they found by Hannah’s body, aren’t you? I told that female homicide investigator it wasn’t mine. It could have belonged to any of Brit’s customers. People are forever coming in with crazy hairstyles. My stylist says I’ve started a trend.”
“I’m sure you have.”
She sets down the heavy pitcher and gives her left wrist a quick massage.
“That injury still bothering you?” I nod to her wrist, and she shakes her hand out.
“Just a smidge. It seems to act up as the weather gets colder. But then, my doctor said it would. Your husband’s arm might just turn into a barometer, too. You never know.”
“Oh, he’s taking medication.” I don’t mind shedding the lie. The truth is, Everett didn’t so much as take an aspirin. “But I bet you took medication, too. What did they give you?”
“You mean what did they try to give me?” A husky laugh comes from her. “I’m not taking meds, not now, not ever. After the surgery, I relied on teas and herbs. So far so good. I’m as strong as ever.”
“Wow,” I say, lackluster. “I’m glad to hear it.” And I’m confused to hear it as well.
Wait a minute. It makes perfect sense. The bottle of fentanyl in her room was made out to someone else. A friend probably gave it to her.
What was his name? I try to rack my brain, but I pull out my phone and quickly thumb through my pictures until I come upon it. That’s right.
I clear my throat. “You know, my friend Charles Nelson, he had to take medication for an injury.” I give a frantic nod as her mouth falls open.
“You knew Charles?” She cranes her neck past me. “So sad, right?”
“Sad?”
“You didn’t hear?” She inches back. “He died shortly after his accident.”
“Accident?”
“Big ski accident. I guess his binding broke loose and he twisted his leg pretty bad. Anyway, I’m not sure what happened exactly, but they think it was a heart attack related to his meds. His fans were really torn up about it.”
“His fans?”
“Oh, he was a huge author. You must have not known him that well if you didn’t realize that.”
I suck in a quick breath. “That book! That’s where I know his name. He wrote The Horseman.”
“Yup. Oh, Hannah was a huge fan.” She averts her eyes a moment.
That’s where I saw the book! In her desk back in her home office. He made it out to her. Hang on…the photo of that fancy horse—there was a note on it from a man named Chuck. Chuck as in Charles?
“Hannah knew him well, didn’t she?” I offer her a scrutinizing look.
A throaty laugh bumps from her. “You can say that. Hannah was all but a kept woman, and he did the keeping.”
“Interesting.”
“It was very interesting until he bit the big one. That’s when Hannah had to move out of that fancy lake house. She finally managed to settle in near you. She still had some cash he left her, so she was going to stay there until the money ran out.”
Hannah was a kept woman. I’d better find Noah.
“Speaking of money running out,” she leans my way, “I had to check out of your mother’s B&B this morning. Let’s just say my sister isn’t too thrilled with the fact she’s about to have a new roommate, but I can’t afford that place forever. Your mom is really nice, Lottie. You’re really lucky.”
Brit calls for help at her booth, and Reese excuses herself as she heads that way.
I stumble back into the flow of the sea of people as a spray of stars appears by my side and Barry Honeycutt appears fully formed.
“You missed it,” I hiss his way.
“Nope.” He shakes his head, and I can’t help but note his neck is the size of a tree trunk. “I was there. I just didn’t want to distract you. There’s something fishy going on. She said she didn’t wear extensions; therefore, the hair that was found at the scene couldn’t have been hers.”
“And she said she didn’t take any medications.”
“I believe it,” he says. “I once tweaked my rotator cuff pretty bad and wouldn’t take any of that junk the doctor wanted to give me.