Page 6 of Dear Bookworm Beauty
“Of course.” I nod.
“Why don’t you two go take a walk around the property while I deal with this. It shouldn’t take too long.”
“Sure,” Grant pushes back in his chair and offers his hand to Evangeline to help her up.
“Josephine liked to paint down by the river near the edge of the woods.”
“After the war.”
Evangeline gives me a sad smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yes.”
I don’t understand the shift in her mood, but I don’t question it. Mr. Waters walks in to let her know that the call is waiting for her in the library.
4
LAUREL
"Was it just me, or was that a little weird?" Grant asks once we are far away from the house, that no one can overhear us.
“What do you mean?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know. Something about the way she cut you off when you were about to tell her about the letter.”
“She was expecting a call. She couldn’t have planned that interruption.”
“I suppose,” he agrees, but it still sounds like he isn’t convinced.
I glance back over my shoulder at the house. I’m not sure what I’m expecting but seeing Evangeline’s face in the window watching us seems odd. I turn around and keep walking, moving to catch up with Grant.
We walk in silence for a bit across the lawn until we reach the edge of the woods.
“I have to tell you something.”
“What’s that?” he asks.
I suck in a deep breath. “Promise you won’t get mad.”
“Depends.”
“Depends on what?”
"It depends on what you are about to tell me." He glances over at me. "You could be about to tell me you are a serial killer, and I'm your fourth victim.”
“Seventh, but that’s beside the point,” I joke.
Grant barks out a laugh. "Okay, tell me. Because whatever it is, I doubt it's as bad as being your seventh victim."
“I took the letter.”
He stops and turns to me. “From the library?”
“Yes.”
He runs his hands over his face. “Do you understand the trouble you could be in if someone found out?”
“I have a bit of an idea.”
“Why?”
