Page 29 of Scatter the Bones

“Margot, come on. It’s absurd.” He frowns. “What do you mean,not a nice person?”

I shrug, uncomfortable talking about my ex with my dad. “He’s just a nasty, shallow man. I wish I’d never met him.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I wish you…” He clears his throat and glances away, staring at some of the family photos on the wall. “I wish you’d told me. You never said why you ended the engagement. And I didn’t want to…pry.”

And I never would’ve told you.

“It doesn’t matter now.” I force a quick smile. “I’m much happier.” Or at least Iwas.

“That’s what I like to hear.” He screws his face into a disgusted scowl. “Thank goodness I never invested with Daniel like he was always pestering me to do.”

“Yeah, he might’ve tried to knock you off.”

He lets out a derisive snort. “No, a coward like that preys on elderly women with few relatives.” Sadness washes over his features. “Or his own grandmother, apparently. How awful.”

“Paul and I won’t let you get swindled, Dad.” A more genuine smile curves my lips, then falters as I realize I forgot to include my brothers.Ah, too bad.They’re never around anyway.

Dad doesn’t seem to notice the omission. He smiles. “I know you won’t.” He tilts to the side, glancing down the hallway. “I’m not sure what the bikers want to look at for their ‘security check’ but hopefully they don’t want to see Mr. Hall, he’s not quite ready for viewing yet.”

“I doubt it, but I’ll let them know if they ask.”

He nods, gaze drifting to the hallway again. “All right. I’ll talk to you later.” Then he grins. “Or call you to come bail me out,” he says, voice light and teasing.

I blink.

Did… did my father just make a joke? About getting arrested?

“That’s not funny, Dad.”

“Hey, you’re the one who mentioned it.” He chuckles. “I’ll talk to you later and let you know how it went.” He walks off, done with our conversation.

“You won’t be laughing if theydoarrest you,” I say under my breath.

Less than an hour later, the front doorbell chimes. I glance at the screen for the front porch camera. Two men. One absurdly large and muscular—I recognize Wrath from Jigsaw’s club. The other man would be impressively large himself if he wasn’t standing next to the guy built like a slab of reinforced concretein a leather cut. I don’t recognize him and he’s wearing a hooded sweatshirt, not one of the club’s vests.

Setting down my pen, I hurry out of the office and to the front door. I paste on a friendly smile and swing it open.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen.”

Wrath’s lips quirk. “Hello, Ms. Cedarwood.”

“Come on in.” I open the door wider, inviting them inside. “Dad said you wanted to come by and take a look before Mr. Hall’s funeral?”

“If you don’t mind,” he says graciously as if this visit is optional. “Margot, this is my friend Jake.” Wrath nods to the tall, athletic, dark-haired man beside him. “We were business partners with Whisper for years,” he says as if that explains why he’s here for this “security inspection.”

Jake looks familiar, but I can’t place him. Handsome in a way that feels intentional. He’s got a cocky aura that sets my instincts on edge. Too smooth, too confident.

His full lips slide into a lazy, but charming, half-smile. “Hello, Margot.” He draws out my name to a seductive note.

“Don’t.” Wrath throws the back of his hand against Jake’s chest without looking at him. “She’s a friend of the club—and Jigsaw’s woman.”

I can’t decide which title sounds more bizarre.Friend of the cluborJigsaw’s woman.

“Ah, that explains why Jiggy’s been popping into Strike Back instead of hitting Furious lately. My brother was starting to worry.” Jake throws another flirtatious glance my way. “But now I see why he’s been hanging around my neck of the woods so much.”

Wrath rolls his eyes.

“Actually,” I say, straightening my shoulders and smoothing my tone, “I’m a funeral director here. And the mortuary cosmetologist.”

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