Page 64 of Tough as Steele

Ryleigh grabbed a stack of papers sitting beside her plate and got up to give them to him. “They have joint banking accounts, and I found two user names logging into the online checking and savings account. You can see that it was accessed yesterday and this morning by two different people.”

The knot in Nate’s stomach tightened even more. “So she at least knows he’s burning through their money.”

Londyn looked at Nate, and he didn’t like her expression. He felt like a suspect himself, thanks to his association with Charles and Clarice.

“Do you think she and Charles conspired to have Mimi kidnapped?” Londyn asked.

He didn’t know how to answer. Not at all. Did he really know either of them? Sure, they took him in and cared for him, and he’d put Clarice on a pedestal, but he’d seen plenty of people fall off pedestals in his homicide career.

“Nate?” Londyn asked.

“Charles maybe,” he replied, though he wasn’t sure of anything anymore. “Not Clarice. But Ryleigh’s right. We need to talk to him.”

“I’ll do the interview,” Londyn said. “One of these guys will go with me so we’ll have a witness to everything he says.”

“I’ll go,” Peyton volunteered.

“I…sure.” Nate clasped his hands under the table. “That sounds like a good idea.”

“I’m impressed, young man,” Artie said. “Takes strong character to agree to back away in a situation like this.”

Nate nodded at the older gentleman, but it was taking everything he was made of not to demand to go with Londyn to interview the guy who’d helped save Nate from homelessness. When it came time for Londyn to drive off with Peyton, would he really let them leave on their own?

16

Londyn had to bite her lip as she rode in Peyton’s Jeep without commenting on her sister’s crazy speed or the fact that her new perfume was nearly overpowering the air with the scent of jasmine. Londyn wanted to get to Charles as fast as possible, so even when Peyton careened around a corner in the Lloyd District across the river from downtown Portland, Londyn kept quiet. Thankfully, it was a weekend, and the traffic was lighter than normal near this area filled with high-rise buildings.

Londyn’s thoughts drifted to Nate, who should be arriving at the medical examiner’s office in Clackamas, a suburb of Portland, any minute now. He would be in a cold, sterile room with a body, and Londyn would be in a posh office building. She had to admit that she was glad that she didn’t have to attend the autopsy. She didn’t like sending Nate alone, but it was part of their job to attend, and he’d been to plenty of autopsies in his career and would go to many more in the future.

And splitting up was a wise use of their time, as two more hours had passed like the flash of a bolt of lightning.

“Sooo…” Peyton ran a hand over her hair. The only redhead in the family, she took after their grandmother in every physical aspect, and Londyn could even see her sister climbing up on the wing of a plane like Gran had done. “You never answered Ryleigh’s question. You planning on dating Nate, or is he available?”

“You too?” Londyn gaped at her sister.

“I’m more curious about you guys than the dating part. You clearly have a thing going on, but I can see you’re fighting it. He seems like a great guy. Polite. Wise. Insightful. Has manners. Considerate. Dedicated to helping people in his job. Gran and Grandad obviously like him. He’s a real keeper.”

“Thanks for the list of his finer points.” Londyn shook her head. “But what’s your point?”

Peyton glanced at Londyn, those icy blue eyes she inherited from Gran like sharp razors. “Wondering what your problem is. Why not go for it?”

Londyn needed to be careful what she said to her sister, who would broadcast it to everyone else in the family.

Londyn rubbed her hands over the black suit pants. “I guess after the number Brad did on me, any feelings I might have for Nate feel like they’re coming way too fast, and I don’t know if they can be trusted.” Londyn held up her hands. “Before you say Nate isn’t a loser like Brad, I agree. But his past still troubles him, and he doesn’t want to get into dating either. If he’s hesitant, that doesn’t bode well for a relationship. Says more hurt is coming my way.”

Peyton blinked long lashes, her thinking mode. “But isn’t he worth the risk? I mean, you can’t get hurt if you sit on the sidelines, but you also can’t have what Mom and Dad and Gran and Grandad have. And then there are Uncle Hugh and Aunt Ruby. You’re surrounded by people who prove that risking it all pays off.”

Londyn eyed her sister. “Spoken by a woman who is equally hesitant to get involved.”

“I’m not totally opposed to it, but I’m sure not ready to settle down and have a family anytime soon.” She mocked a shudder. “Children. I love them, but I can’t even imagine being responsible for one at this point in my life. Too much to do before that happens.”

Londyn knew exactly what her middle sister thought she had to prove. The same thing a lot of middle children did. “You don’t have anything to prove to us, you know?”

“Don’t I?” Peyton swung a sharp gaze in Londyn’s direction. “You, Teagan, and Mackenzie all made detective at a record pace. Not me.” Peyton eyed her sister, those eyes a deeper blue now. She shook her head and returned her gaze to the road.

“You have so many more things going for you than any of us do,” Londyn said in earnest. “You have a head for numbers and statistics that none of us have. Shoot, you’re likely the reason the company is still in the black. That’s far more important than making detective.”

“Says someone who made it.” Peyton clenched her perfectly manicured fingers on the wheel and compressed her lips, her telltale sign that she was done talking.

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