Page 27 of Forensics of a Fable

“Please, help us.” Bel gestured to the food. “My dad is used to ordering for his many cop buddies who are guys and not only three girls.”

“Speak for yourself.” Gold shoved a burger into her mouth with an exaggerated bite. “I’m hungry enough to eat more than all your dad’s police friends combined.”

Reese returned with Violet’s martini and beers for Bel and Olivia. He promised he would only drink the one so he could be their designated driver, and as the detectives dug into their food, his attention turned to Violet. The two chatted, understanding Olivia and Bel didn’t have the energy to hold a conversation, and they filled the silence with good-natured small talk. It surprised Bel how much she enjoyed the companionship, even though she barely spoke. Her dad had spent the day with Cerberus, so shewasn’t worried about racing home, and after the day’s stress, this community was what her starved soul needed.

“Thanks for visiting me and being so nice to my friends,” Bel whispered, leaning her head on her dad’s shoulder. She didn’t care that she was a thirty-four-year-old adult in a bar. She was exhausted, and his presence was always safe, always strong and loving and unwavering.

Reese nodded as Violet continued talking about her job but he twisted to kiss his daughter on the forehead, and she was suddenly transported back to less anxious years when her older sisters would flit around the house in chaos as they got ready for prom or dates, and she would curl up on the couch with her dad to watch the show.

“Over here!” Olivia waved to someone at the door, waking Bel from her reverie, and she shifted to watch Ewan Orso stride toward them. He captured Gold in a kiss that made both Bel and Violet blush, and the women exchanged a wide-eyed look. Lord, what would it be like to be kissed like that? Bel had never experienced that level of intensity, and her mind instantly pictured Eamon. Would he kiss like that? Would his lips burn her alive until she was consumed by him, owned by him? She suspected kissing him would be like dying in the most beautiful way, and her body craved his. It had only been twenty-four hours since she’d last seen him, but what she wouldn’t give to have him wrap her in his arms and trap her bottom lip between those deliciously sharp canines.

Bel shuddered, shaking off the image of Eamon’s solid chest pinning her against a wall and claiming her, and Olivia pulled away from Orso with a shy smile, as if she remembered they had an audience. She quickly introduced Ewan to Bel’s dad, and then the five of them crowded around the table to finish their meal.

“What do you do, Ewan?” Reese asked.

“Construction,” he answered, and his sexy lumberjack persona suddenly made sense. “I worked for my dad over the summers, starting when I was sixteen and transitioning to full-time after college. He wants to leave me and my older brother the business, but I don’t want it. My brother is going to take it.”

“Why is that?” Her father’s detective nature reared its curious head.

“I like construction, but my passion is woodworking. I took a shop class in high school where we made birdhouses, and I haven’t been the same since,” Ewan answered, and Bel stiffened. No one but her father noticed the movement, and he placed a palm on her back, signaling he understood this might be important.

“That’s fascinating,” Reese continued. If Bel pushed for information, it would come off suspicious, but if he did, it would appear as if a retiree was simply making conversation. “You have any samples of your work? I know nothing about construction or carpentry.”

“I do.” Orso dug into his pocket, and Bel noted how enthusiastic he was to share. He certainly didn’t seem like someone trying to hide his talents, and photo after swiped photo proved that his skill was more than just a hobby. Each piece was uniquely exquisite, but unlike Lumen’s Customs which produced high-end furniture, Orso’s work consisted of reclaimed and refurbished materials. He was a master at taking junk and recycling it into art, transforming people’s trash into masterpieces.

“This is stunning.” Violet leaned forward, hogging the view of the phone. “I absolutely love this one.” She pointed to a coffee table that was made from wooden pallets and rocks. “You know, I own Lumen’s Customs.” She dug into her purse and pulled out a business card. “I’ve been looking to hire a furniture designer, but no one lives up to Mr. Lumen’s skill. But this? This isamazing. The quality is on par with Lumen’s line, but it’s also a new direction that can stand on its own. If you are interested, I would love to set up a meeting with you and talk about the possibility of working together?”

“That would be a dream come true.” Ewan took the card as Olivia beamed at his side, oblivious to the fact that a man who could design furniture stood wrapped in her arms. “And this is one of my favorites. It’s not for sale since it’s a personal piece.” He grabbed his phone and zoomed in on the stones. “It means a lot to me since I’m an avid hiker. I love being in nature, and whenever I hike a new trail, I take a rock. I made this coffee table from all the stones I found, and when I replenish my stock, I plan to make a second like this. Maybe a bedside table.”

Bel studied him as he spoke, his focus on his work blinding him to her observation. The killer was either someone who lived in Bajka and knew the woods, or an avid hiker who had mapped the area. Was it truly a coincidence that a stranger showed up and suddenly two girls turned up dead?

“Have you done much hiking here?” Bel asked, keeping her voice steady.

“Yes, a lot,” Ewan answered. “I took an extended vacation, and I’ve been making my way through the trails. I need a Bajka rock for my next piece, but I haven’t found the right one yet. Guess I’ll just have to keep looking.”

Bel fixatedon Ewan Orso’s confession for the rest of the night. It was all she thought about as they paid their bill and drove home. It was all she could focus on as they walked Cerberus, and Reese remained silent, understanding she needed to exist in her own head. A stranger with an intimate knowledge ofcarpentry who admitted to hiking the woods of Bajka arrived in town right before the killings began. Had he known Gold was a detective when he singled her out at the bar? Had he planned to seduce her to blind her to his truth? Bel had watched Olivia after Orso’s conversation with her father, but her partner never so much as batted an eye. She’d been hasty to accuse Eamon with limited evidence to support her claims, yet she didn’t see the connections to the case in her new boyfriend. Was she so easily blinded by a handsome face? Or was Bel the one blinded by the man who captured her soul?

Her dad snorted softly in his sleep, and Cerberus answered him with a rumbled snore. Bel smiled and kissed her dog’s meaty head before slipping into the kitchen for a glass of cold water. She sipped it in front of the window and studied the empty woods, unexpectedly missing her stalker. Without his eyes on her, she couldn’t sleep. Knowing that Eamon guarded her from the trees brought her peace, and as she studied his absence, her gaze lingered on Vera’s vacant cabin. Alcina Magus had assumed Vera’s face, and in the end, Eamon killed the witch for her attempts on Bel’s life. Bel had been unconscious for most of their fight, but she’d seen the aftermath. The witch’s wrist had been snapped in half; her body beaten to death.

Bel’s fingers drifted to her scarred throat. The surgeons took great care in the reconstruction, and as a result, the marred skin that ran from her neck down to her belly was mostly pink lines now. The scars would always be visible, but a world-renowned plastic surgeon had reduced most of the gruesome marks. And they had been gruesome. Under Alcina’s curse, Eamon had ripped her apart with his teeth, and Bel knew what he was. She understood what he was capable of. No, he hadn’t killed those girls. Both acts of violence he’d committed had been bloody. Eamon’s nature craved the scent of bloodshed. He longed to be up close and personal with his kills. He was evil, but not theevil she sought. These deaths were not a product of his brand of brutality. Her feelings toward him were complicated, but they weren’t blinding her. The killer was someone else, and what terrified Bel was he might be the stranger making himself at home in her partner’s bed.

“If you need me,I’ll stay, but I was thinking of heading home today,” Reese said as they paid for their coffee and bagels at The Espresso Shot. It was early, but he had insisted on treating her to a quick breakfast before she settled in for another exhausting day. “I’m too old to sleep on a couch for multiple nights, even if I picked yours out for just that purpose. Plus, you’re busy, and I don’t want to get in your way. I mostly came to see if you were okay.”

“I love having you here,” Bel said, taking a sip of her latte as they found a table. “It helps with my stress, knowing Cerberus is being taken care of, but you’re right. Without a guest room, it’s hard to rest.”

“I know. I snore.” Her father laughed. “But in my defense, the dog snores louder. It’s like he’s a little engine going all night.”

“It’s comforting.” Bel playfully swatted him. “I sleep better when I hear him. It reminds me I’m not alone. You, on the other hand...” She gave him an exaggerated eye roll as she bit into her bagel. “I’m glad you came. I needed you.”

“Sweetheart, I’m a phone call away.” He took her hand. “I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night, you call, and I’m in the car in thirty minutes. I love all you girls, you know that, but I worry about you most.”

“Dad…”

“Your sisters are either stay-at-home moms or work in an office. Of course, I worry about them, but it’s not the same. I stress that your sisters aren’t sleeping enough with the babies waking them or that their bosses don’t see their potential. With you? I’m afraid…” he trailed off and looked away as if he might cry, and Bel squeezed his hand reassuringly. She knew what he was going to say before he spoke the words. “I just don’t want another call like that ever again.”

“I don’t want that either.” If Eamon had any say in the matter, he never would.

“I mostly came because after your partner died and your neighbor turned out to be your attacker and a serial killer, I worried life here would be detrimental to your mental health,” her dad continued. “It’s why I rushed to visit when you called, but your new partner is a nice girl. You have a great boss. Your friend Violet seems to really care about you, and that man Eamon impressed me. You aren’t as alone as I thought, and you're doing well. I can leave knowing you’re okay, that you found your tribe.”

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