The Last Sister (Columbia River)(13)

It was hard to say no to Thea.

Emily’s appetite vanished as she looked around the table at her smiling aunts. For several minutes she’d forgotten she’d discovered her murdered friends, but reality returned in an abrupt rush. She stared at her teacup. Lindsay would never have another chai latte. Emily would never step into the restaurant break room and be greeted by the rich fragrance of Lindsay’s daily drink addiction.

She filled her lungs and slowly exhaled.

Glancing to her right, she caught Zander watching her, his brow wrinkled in concern, and the oddity of the situation caught up with her.

An FBI agent is having tea with us.

“Aunties,” Emily began. The three women immediately gave her their attention. “I got two flat tires today.” The three women started to talk at once, and Emily held up her hands to quiet them. “This isn’t the first time. Clearly my vehicle has been targeted when I park behind the restaurant. No other employees have had a problem. Vina, Zander told me you found a dead raccoon on the porch today.”

“I did.”

Thea and Dory peppered Vina with questions, which she ignored.

“It’s the third animal in the last six or eight weeks,” Vina admitted.

Zander spoke up, looking from Dory to Thea. “Have either of you experienced any sort of harassment-type incidents?”

The two women exchanged a glance and then shook their heads. “Not that I can think of,” Dory said. “What about Madison? Has anyone asked her?”

“No,” said Emily, mentally shaking herself. She’d forgotten to mention the tires to her sister. “I’ll ask when she gets home tonight. I know her car has been fine.”

Dory peered at Zander. “I thought you were in town to solve those horrible murders, not worry about some flat tires.”

“I am. I was interviewing Emily when the tires were noticed. That’s when I wondered if her vehicle and your home have been targeted by the same person. I’ll finish Emily’s interview when we’re done here.”

Thea leaned an elbow on the table, rested her chin on her hand, and studied Zander intently. “What is the next step for you? Do you have any leads on the murders? Do we need to be locking our doors at night?”

“I hope you lock your doors every night,” Zander murmured.

“We do when we think of it,” Dory announced.

“Don’t interrupt,” Thea ordered. Dory rolled her eyes and dabbed at her nose with her tissue. “I heard the first responder screwed up the scene. Some of those young deputies are as sharp as a mashed potato sandwich,” Thea continued, her blue eyes challenging. “Is that true? People around town are saying it was a drug deal gone bad. Really bad.”

“No,” said Vina. “I heard it was a domestic dispute.”

“I heard it was someone passing through town.” Dory wiped her nose again.

Emily bit her lip. Zander had given each woman his full attention as she spoke, but a hint of desperation lurked in his eyes. Her family was a lot to take at once. He was getting off easy with Madison still at work.

“Aunties! Leave him alone. You know he can’t talk about an active case.”

The three women looked apologetic.

“We don’t know much yet,” Zander told the chastised women. “You’ll hear when we do.”

Dissatisfaction filled their faces.

“I know this may seem awkward to ask, but what might help is if you tell me some more about Emily’s father’s death.”

Emily froze, and a loud buzz filled her ears. Why?

The nightmare images of her hanged father returned and destroyed the walls keeping her emotions at bay.

I can’t be here.

She stood, and her chair’s legs squealed as it shot backward. “You’ll have to excuse me for a moment,” she choked out. She rushed from the room and up the stairs, her vision tunneling.

Who told him?



Guilt swamped Zander.

What was I thinking? He hadn’t discussed Emily’s father’s death with her. The sheriff and Vina had talked with him about it, but Emily had not. He started to rise.

“Sit down,” Thea ordered, her eyes sharp. “Give her a few minutes. She’ll be fine.”

Zander slowly sat, studying the three women. Thea appeared to be the thinnest of the three, but her tone would have stopped a platoon.

“Her father’s death isn’t a comfortable topic,” Dory said. She turned to Vina. “My stomach hasn’t felt right since breakfast this morning. Are you sure those eggs weren’t past their expiration date?” She laid a hand on her stomach, and a frown pulled down her lips.

“They were fine. And you’re fine too,” Vina informed her.

“I’m sorry,” Zander told the three women. “I shouldn’t have brought it up in the middle of conversation.”

The three women waved aside his apology. “I’ve been thinking about his death since you were here after lunch,” Vina told him. “It’s very upsetting that another man was hanged, and Emily found him.”

“Did Emily see . . . her father?” asked Zander.

“Oh, no,” announced Thea. “She was asleep, thank goodness. Both her and Madison.”

“And the other sister?”