Page 17 of The Usual Family Mayhem

“It’s easier to show you what I mean.” I pulled out my cell then flipped through the photos, landing on the one with the notation about Abigail. “Do you see that?”

His body circled around mine as he leaned in closer. My brain short-circuited.

“Is that a photo of a computer screen?” he asked.

Two more swallows. “It’s the business ledger for the dessert shop.”

He stepped back. “Why do you have that?”

“That’s not the point.”

He moved on to frowning. Big-time frowning. “I disagree.”

He wasn’t wrong but that. Right there. He killed the mood. Sure, I was the only one reacting to the mood or even noticing there was a mood, but whatever.

I put a few more inches between us as I struggled to explain without suggesting I’d been snooping, which I had. “I was in Gram’s office because I was worried the business ran into financial trouble. I didn’t know about Cash Burns’s death yet. But the spreadsheet was there.”

He looked amused now. “Magically?”

“I didn’t use that word.”

“You accidentally took photos of it?”

Yes, my behavior sucked. I’d apologize once I knew for sure nothing was going on with Gram and Celia. “We can argue about this later but—”

“Oh, we will. You may have forgotten but I’m a lawyer.”

How in the world could I forget that? “I didn’t steal the ledger and you’re not a prosecutor. Calm down.”

He shook his head. “Every conversation with you goes like this.”

That seemed unnecessary. I was trying to help here. “What does that mean?”

“Kasey, you...” He visibly grabbed for control. The tension rolling over him eased. “Okay. Fine. That argument can wait.”

I should have moved on but the need to defend myself, at least a little, pulled at me. “You know they hide bad news from me.”

“The heart issue. Yes.” He nodded. “I know that’s a constant worry for you. I worry, too. I also agree Mags didn’t handle the situation well, but it happened two years ago.”

That argument didn’t persuade me at all. “Do you think Gram and Celia have radically changed their ways in the last two years?”

“Good point.” He blew out a long breath that sounded like he’d hoisted the white flag of surrender... for now. “Tell me why you think this spreadsheet or ledger or whatever it is matters.”

“The star.” He didn’t react to my epiphany, which made me think my imagination had run a little wild on this. I tried again anyway. “Do you know what the star means?”

“Something that’s none of your business?”

Fair but not helpful. “I’m serious.”

“I’m not sure why you think I’m not.”

I needed a new accomplice. Until I found one, Jackson was it. Unfortunately. “There’s only a star on a few deliveries andit’s on the delivery that went to Abigail. The next day, her husband was dead.”

Still nothing from Jackson but a blank stare.

“What if this all goes together somehow?” I didn’t have the fancy law degree, but I had experience with Gram and Celia, and that poison talk at the table definitely made them jumpy. No question about it. True, the timing could be nothing. But it could also be something, and if it was something, Celia and Gram needed our help. No way they’d ask for it, so we’d have to insist. “Do you need me to walk through the facts again?”

I saw the second he understood my point. I also heard it because his eyes went wide then he laughed. “Oh, come on.”

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