Murder of a Bookstore Babe

“You’re telling me you knew all along that Xavier Ryan had some big secret connected with the bookstore and its owners, and you never shared this information with me?” Wally ground the words out between his teeth.

“Yes, but—”

“But nothing.” He cut her off, and she didn’t try to continue. Her grandma Cora always said, never miss a good chance to shut up, and this was clearly that time.

Wally ran his fingers though his hair. “It’s not only that you had a responsibility as a police consultant, but you had an obligation as my fiancée not to keep secrets from me. Especially when an ex-boyfriend is the one asking you to stay quiet.” He slumped in his seat and stared out the windshield. “One thing I can’t handle is disloyalty.”

“I know. I’m so sorry. You’re right.” Skye’s shoulders drooped. Nothing sucked more than that moment during an argument when you realized you were wrong. “I should never have promised Simon not to tell you in the first place, and then when Kayla was killed, I should have told you everything.” She put a hand on his and gazed into his eyes. “I truly am sorry, and it won’t happen again.”

“Well.” She detected a thawing in his tone, but suddenly his voice hardened and he shook off her touch. “No. You still have feelings for Reid or you wouldn’t have kept this from me.”

Was Wally right? Skye examined her conscience, then took his hand again. “I’ll probably always have some feelings for Simon, the same as you’ll always have some feelings for Darleen. They were a big part of our lives. But the reason I didn’t tell you was because of my affection for Xavier and Frannie, not because of Simon.”

Wally’s long silence made Skye afraid she had blown her chance for happiness.

Finally Wally let out a long, audible breath, and although his frown lingered, he said, “I believe you.” He looked intently into her eyes. “But don’t ever let this happen again.”

“I won’t.” Skye leaned over to kiss him, but Wally got out of the car and walked toward the police station door without waiting for her.

Sighing, she followed him. Clearly he was still upset, and she could only hope that once he cooled off, he’d give her another chance.

Xavier wasn’t easy to locate. There was no one at his house, and when they checked to see whether he was working, Simon told Wally and Skye that Xavier and Frannie had gone to dinner and a movie in Bolingbrook. Frannie had been feeling a little down since her boyfriend, Justin, was out of town due to a family emergency, so Xavier had taken his daughter to the Red Robin on Weber Road, one of Frannie’s favorite hamburger restaurants, then to see The Brothers Grimm.

Simon seemed worried when Wally was questioning him, and as she and Wally left, Skye glanced back. Simon’s disappointed gaze skewered her to the spot. Her shoulders slumped. She’d had no choice but to tell Wally, and she shouldn’t have agreed to keep the secret in the first place. Still, she hated that she felt as if she had somehow let both men down.

They had gotten Xavier’s cell number from Simon, and when he didn’t pick up, Wally left a message for him to call immediately, as they had some questions about his connections to the bookstore.

While they waited for Xavier to phone them, Wally and Skye had dinner at the Feed Bag, then took a ride along the river. They spent the time talking about Wally’s feeling of betrayal and why Skye had kept quiet. Finally Wally truly forgave Skye.

Nevertheless, she knew she was on probation and silently vowed not to mess up this relationship as she had so many others. An ex-fiancé and a string of ex-boyfriends proved she needed to make some changes in how she acted.

It was nearly ten by the time Xavier phoned. He didn’t want them to come to his house, so he agreed to meet them at the police station, and they hurried back into town. Skye and Wally met the older man as he entered the PD. The three of them proceeded down a short hall to the coffee/interrogation room, and Skye took a seat at one end of the long table in the center of the room.

Xavier sat opposite her. He wore dark trousers and a short-sleeved white shirt. It was the most casual attire in which Skye had ever seen him.

Wally closed the door, then settled in the chair next to Skye and said to Xavier, “Thank you for coming in.”

Xavier dipped his head slightly. “I thought it best we speak here instead of in front of my daughter.” His pale blue, lashless eyes were magnified behind old-fashioned horn-rimmed glasses, making them seem reptilian.

“Why is that?” Skye asked, then shot Wally a look. Should she go on?

He nodded. They had agreed she would lead the inquiry since she had the best relationship with the suspect. Xavier kept mostly to himself in Scumble River, preferring to socialize with his out-of-town veterans’ group, but he had formed a connection with Skye through her friendship with Frannie.