Page 86 of Bright Dark Curses

“Ethan can’t think of anyone else?”

“No. He’s too scared about being blamed for the whole thing to come up with other suspects, I think.”

“Any suspects you discarded? Might be worth taking another look at them.”

I thought about that. Who had we discarded? “There was someone the crew was told to be wary of, but he got arrested.” Could he have gotten out in time to make Brett sick and murder Lee? Murder did have the hallmarks of a stalker’s escalation. “Then Lisa Woodward, the movie’s writer, but she wasn’t on set when some of the stuff happened. Oh, and there was also Turner.” I shifted so I could study Ian’s face better, and his arms immediately circled me. “There’s this filmmaker called Craig Turner who was mad about being denied the license to film in Olmeda. He started a fight over it and got arrested. But he left town a while back, apparently. I guess he could’ve come back, but we didn’t see his name on the crew list.” And this had to have been an inside job.

“Turner is in town.”

“What?”

“That’s his business name. His real name is Charles McKee.”

I gaped at Ian. “How do you know?”

“Our families used to know each other. He contacted me after I moved back, asking if I needed any publicity videos of the cemetery. He thought I wanted to reopen the tours.”

“Oh, Good Mother Earth.” I scrambled off his lap and grabbed my phone. There was no time to lose.

Key answered on the third ring with a groggy, “Hello?”

“Key, you have that list of suspects we got from Ethan?”

“I guess so… Yes?”

“I need you to check a name. I’m texting it to you right now.”

“All right?”

I ended the call and sent her the name, then paced around the kitchen while I waited. Ian watched me with a faint smile as he finished his sandwiches.

Feeling like I was about to start tapping my feet if Key didn’t answer soon, I snatched my last sandwich half and ate it in snappy, fast bites.

Then I had to wash my hands from butter remains. And my phone.

Key’s text came as I had begun pacing again.

He’s one of the locals hired by the production company.

I turned to Ian in triumph. “He’s part of the crew!”

“Doesn’t make him guilty,” he pointed out.

“But his backstory fits guilty to a tee.” My fingers flew over the phone’s screen as I texted Key back: Gather the troops! Ian’s kitchen ASAP!

Once the text was sent, I look at Ian in triumph. “Emergency meeting time.”

“Sounds good.” He opened his arms again.

I went to him without a second thought.

TWENTY-FIVE

I was still on Ian’s lap when I spied Shane striding up to the house. I tried to move to my seat, but Ian’s arms tightened around me.

“But they’re going to know,” I whispered, blushing furiously and squirming in his arms.

“They’re not dumb, Hope.”

---