Page 25 of Hush Money

“It’s not,” I say, but Tamsyn steps forward and silences me with a withering look.

“It’s fine, Lucien,” she says before focusing on Detective Smith. “What did you need to know?”

“How long will you be staying?” Detective Smith says.

“I’m not quite sure,” Tamsyn says. “Possibly until the end of summer.”

My mood sours even further. I should be grateful that Tamsyn answered before I said what I was thinking, which is that the time frame for her residence here is somewhere between indefinitely and forever. On the other hand, I don’t like that she said possibly until the end of the summer. There’s no possibly about it, as far as I’m concerned.

“Got it,” says Detective Smith. “I’ll let you know if I have any further questions, Ms. Scott.”

“Call me Tamsyn. If there’s nothing else, I think I’ll get out of your hair. Let you folks finish up here.”

“That’s fine,” Detective Smith says. “Thanks again.”

“Goodnight, everyone,” Tamsyn says, turning to go with no more than a fleeting glance at me.

I watch her walk off, feeling like a prisoner whose cruel warden has slammed the jail cell shut until tomorrow morning or whenever I might get to see Tamsyn again.

“Excuse me,” I hastily tell Detective Smith and Daniel, hurrying after her. “I’ll be right back.”

I know they’re watching me, but I don’t give a fuck. I catch up with a few long strides. “Tamsyn.”

She glances back over her shoulder at me, startled. “What is it?”

I hesitate because I’ve got a mouth full of don’t goes and when will I see you agains? locked and loaded. Sadly, I’m now used to the sensation with Tamsyn. I felt this urgent don’t let her go feeling the very first time I met her, when we were strangers who’d had a chance meeting at the airport. But the fervency of it still unnerves me. And I still feel compelled to follow it.

“It’s early,” I say. “I thought we were going to have dinner? We can grab something in the main kitchen when I’m done here.”

“I don’t think so,” she says with a tinge of regret, but not a hint of compromise. “It’s been a long day. I’m tired and I still need to get settled in the cottage. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, she walks off, leaving me to make my way back to the others. I’m feeling increasingly surly, and the speculative light in Detective Smith’s eyes doesn’t help.

“She seems lovely,” she says.

“She is,” I say gruffly. “How else can I help you?”

“I think that’s it for tonight,” she says with a cheery smile. “Like I said, I just wanted to see the area for myself. Let’s plan to stay in touch.”

“Let’s,” I say.

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Daniel and I call after her as she sets off. I feel a hint of relief as I watch her go, although I have no idea why. God knows I haven’t done anything wrong here.

Daniel turns to me as soon as she’s out of earshot. He looks worried. “She just appeared with no warning. I didn’t see any harm in letting her look around. Hope that was okay.”

“Of course. And we turned over the security footage to the police, right?”

“Right. She said they would review it as soon as they can.”

“Good. Let’s hope it gives us some clue about how Ravenna got back here last night.”

“From your lips to God’s ears. How is she?”

“Concussion, like we thought,” I say.

“And her memory?”

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