Page 55 of Evidence of a Folktale

“You likepitbulls?” Bel asked as she led the woman into the warm kitchen, and afterthey removed their coats and shoes, she gestured for her visitor to make herself comfortable.

“I’m notreallya breed or species person,” Taron said, settling at the table. “I’m more of a‘I would pet a crocodile if it wouldn’t kill me’kinda person.”

“You sound like me,” Bel laughed. “But I’m partial topitbullsnow that I have one.”

“I don’t blame you. His meaty head is ridiculous.”

“Tea?” Bel held up the teapot as Eamon blew through the front door, Cerberus tucked under his arm as if he were a chihuahua and not a seventy-pound bundle of muscles.

“Yes, please…” Taron trailed off as he stormed past her, her entire body recoiling in fear at the pulsing aggression wafting off his towering form.

“You okay?” He ignored the actress as he settled beside Bel at the kitchen stove.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “She scared the crap out of me, though. She followed me home, and I almost shot her. I almost shot Taron Monroe.”

Eamon’s glare flicked to their visitor, but Bel grabbed his forearm to rein him in.

“She wants to talk to me in private,” she said.

“Couldn’t she do that at the station?”

“She doesn’t want the public finding out.”

“Why?”

“We haven’t got that far yet. It’s why I texted you. She’s probably harmless, but she also followed me home.”

“You did the right thing texting me.” Eamon kissed her forehead before setting Cerberus down on the kitchen floor.

“Thanks for coming so fast. Tea?” She squeezed his arm again, and when he nodded, she filled the kettle with enough water for the three mugs. “Miss Monroe, this is Eamon Stone,” she said as she set her collection of teas on the table for the actress to pick from. “He occasionally helps the Bajka police, and he’s discreet. You can trust him,” she half lied. She wouldn’t play all her cards until she learned what game she was involved in.

“Mhhmmm.” Taron nodded, and Bel couldn’t tell if her expression was because she was terrified of Eamon or wildly attracted to him. Or perhaps it was both.

“So, you want to talk to me?” Bel pulled her attention back to their conversation, and Eamon settled out of sight on the couch with the dog.

“Right… yes… um.” Taron glanced at the imposing millionaire one more time before focusing on Bel. “And call me Taron, if you don’t mind. I’m in your cabin drinking tea. Miss Monroe seems so formal.”

“Okay.” Now that her alarm had subsided, it dawned on Bel just who sat at her kitchen table. Taron Monroe. America’s sweetheartdetective,and she curled her fingers around the quirky teacup as if she were Bel’s friend… her very pretty and famous friend. Maybe she shouldn’t have invited Eamon to hang out with one of the most beautiful women in the world.

She handed him his mug before returning to the kitchen table, and while her visitor was busy sweetening her tea, Eamon’s hands shot out and lightly slapped her ass. It was subtle and intimate and unbearably sweet, and Bel rolled her eyes at herself. Eamon didn’t care that Taron Monroe sat four feet away from him. He saw only one woman in this cabin, and she was the exhausted one wearing the clearance rack jeans.

“So, what’s wrong that you couldn’t visit me at the station?” Bel asked as she slipped into the seat across from the actress.

“I heard through the grapevine that you talked to the producers about possible suspects and obsessed fans who might have killed Gwen and Ellery,” Taron started, and Bel sat to attention. This was not the direction she’d expected this conversation to take. “Evelyn probably gave you… oh, what’s his name? Tony Rays?”

“Tony Royce,” Bel corrected.

“Yes, him.”

“Your producers did give us Royce’s name. We already looked into him and ruled him out. Royce feels passionately about Willow Moon’s departure from the show, but he isn’t a murderer.”

“I know. He was just the easy answer. A way to help you without actually helping you.”

“What do you mean?” Bel leaned forward again, extremely thankful she hadn’t shot Miss Monroe.

“They needed to appease you with plausible information, so they purposely helped youin the least helpful way,” Taron explained. “They know that kid is harmless, all talk and no bite. We all know it. He’s obsessed with the show, and no matter how much grief he gives us about me replacing Willow Moon, he still watches every episode. He’s irritating at best, but he’s no threat. It’s obvious to everyone, but they needed to give you a suspect, so they gave you someone who’d get you nowhere.”

“Why would they do that?” Bel asked.

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