Page 42 of Crosshairs

“True. Whoever it was could have been looking for the diaries Cora mentioned. Which means maybe she’s found more?”

“They’re definitely on her mind. Where does she keep her valuables?”

Ainsley closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yes,” she said, opening her eyes and turning to Linc. Wrong move. She could easily get lost in those hazel eyes. She gave herself a mental headshake.

“Once, when I was a little girl, Cora opened a wall safe and showed me this beautiful ruby and diamond necklace. Said it’d be mine one day ... I haven’t thought of that in years,” she said. “If Cora found more diaries, I’m pretty sure that’s where she’d keep any she wasn’t reading.”

Ainsley checked behind the floral painting over the bed. Of course it wouldn’t be there. It’d be too difficult for her aunt to reach. A bold abstract painting across the room caught her attention. She checked behind it and found a small black safe embedded in the wall. “Here it is, but I don’t know the combination. And I don’t feel right about opening the safe without her permission. Let me call my grandmother and see what she thinks.”

Gran answered on the first ring. “Find anything?”

Ainsley described the yellowed paper.

“That sounds like the first diary she found.”

“If Cora found more of Charlotte’s journals, do you think she would keep them in her wall safe?”

“Definitely.”

“Two questions, then. Would she mind if we opened the safe in her bedroom to look for them? And do you know the combination?”

“It’s your dad’s birthday, 11-16-60, but...” Gran sighed. “Mysister is funny. I know if you asked, she’d tell you it would be fine, but I’m not sure how she’d feel if you opened the safe without asking.”

That’s what had hovered in the back of Ainsley’s mind. “That’s what I thought you’d say. I’ll drop by tonight and talk to her. Thanks, Gran.” She hung up and turned to Linc. “I guess you could tell by the conversation, I’m not unlocking the safe until I talk to Cora.”

“I think that’s wise,” he said.

She checked her watch and then took in his tired eyes. “I have to leave for Austin Kingston’s office right now. I know you said you wanted to go with me, but don’t you want to get some rest? You were up all night.”

“So were you. Neither of us are hitting on all cylinders, so it might take both of us to conduct the interview.”

She laughed. “It’ll be good to have your back.”

Their relationship had started out rocky this morning but seemed to have smoothed out, and now they were clicking. Her stomach fluttered. They weren’t just clicking. Whatever had attracted her to Linc years ago was alive and well. Not a good thought, and Ainsley pushed it to the back of her mind to think about later, when she wasn’t so sleep deprived. That was probably the problem anyway.

“Where did you say we’re meeting them?” Linc asked as they walked out the door.

“Austin’s law office,” she said as she walked to her vehicle and opened the driver’s side.

“I think we better go in my Tahoe.”

“Why?”

He pointed to her windshield. “We might get stopped. Or, those jagged cracks might decide to run.”

“I guess you’re right. Know of a good place I can take it for repairs?”

“Yep. I’ll get his number for you,” he said as she hopped in onthe passenger side of his Tahoe. “Did you talk to Austin when you made the appointment?”

“Yes. He didn’t sound too happy that I wanted to interview his son.”

Linc made a turn. “I hope this doesn’t get sticky.”

She’d already thought of that. “You mean because of the governor’s race?”

He nodded.

She turned and stared out the window at the passing houses. There would be very little room for error in dealing with the Kingstons. If the boy was involved with the murder, Jack Kingston could very well accuse her of trying to affect the election. “I haven’t kept up with the campaign. Gran mentioned it when I first arrived, but then Cora fell, and we simply haven’t discussed it. How many candidates are running? And when is it, anyway?”

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