Page 87 of Trouble Comes in Threes

“Yeah,” he said absently, staring into the living room from the kitchen doorway. “I will.” He turned back to me as I pulled out a mixing bowl and whisk and set them on the counter. “But before I talk to her, I need to know what that kid witnessed, Rose.”

“And I told you that I can’t tell you.” But I did need to find out where the second body had been found. There was no way I could ask him without giving him more details. Not that Joe would have told me anyway. I’d have to find out through a different source.

“That means you’re withholding evidence, Rose,” he said in frustration.

“I didn’t witness anything,” I said, brushing past him to get the flour from a cabinet on the other side. “What I’d tell you is hearsay.”

“Anything is better than nothing. It’s called a lead.”

I shot him a glare. “No need to get snippy with me, Sheriff Simmons. And I’m not telling you anything without this kid’s permission. It’s his story to tell, not mine.”

“It has something to do with one of these murders, doesn’t it?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.”

“Dammit, Rose!” he grunted in frustration, then flinched when he realized Ashley was standing in the doorway.

“Hope is thirsty, Aunt Rose,” she said, seeming to shrink into herself. “I was going to get her some juice.”

“Ashley,” Joe started, but she turned and left the room before he could finish.

“Dammit!” he grunted again under his breath. “Now she thinks I’m some kind of monster.”

“She’s just not used to us arguing.” I was still irritated with him, but I hated that Ashley had seen more of his irritation than mine. “We need to let her know that just because we’re arguing doesn’t mean we don’t love each other.”

“Yeah,” he said, looking defeated. “That sounds like a good idea.”

“Joe.” I walked over to him and placed my hands on his chest, staring up at him with a soft smile. “I’m doing the best I can here, and I know you are too. I’ll see what I can do about getting this boy to talk to you, okay? He needs to fully trust me first.”

“Which means you’ll be talkin’ to Dermot,” he said, crestfallen.

“I know that bothers you since you’re bringing him for an interview.”

“If word got out…”

“Then I’ll find another way around it. What if I can get the kid to give me permission to tell you what he saw if I leave his name out of it. Will that work?”

“It’s not ideal, but if that’s the best we can do…”

“I might have another way to talk to him without going through Dermot, and no, I can’t tell you what it is. I need you to trust me. Can you do that?” I figured Jed could play go-between.

He stared down at me. “I trust you.”

I lifted up onto my tiptoes and kissed him hard. He wrapped his arm around the small of my back, pulling me close as he kissed me back. Then he leaned his forehead against mine and whispered, “I hate it when we fight.”

“Me too,” I whispered back.

Pulling away with a sigh, he glanced at the clock on the wall. “I need to get ready. Otherwise, I’m gonna be late to my meeting.”

I took his hand in mine and tugged him into the living room. Ashley was sitting on the sofa between Hope and Liam. “Ashley, can Uncle Joe and I talk to you for a moment?”

She glanced over at Joe, her gaze hardening, but she nodded.

“Maybe let’s come into the kitchen for a moment,” I said. “Hope, will you watch your little brother and make sure he doesn’t get into trouble?”

“Okay, Momma,” Hope said, nodding at me with large, round eyes that made it clear she took her responsibility gravely.

Ashley followed us into the kitchen, and I gestured for her to sit at the table while Joe and I took chairs next to each other. I placed our linked hands on the table.

---