Page 81 of Absinthe Minded

“Tell me how Gabe locked you down without a ring?”

“They’ve been busy,” Jessie said.

“I bet they have…” Wayne wiggled his brows.

I groaned. “Jessie, don’t help.”

She chuckled and took another order.

I wanted to crawl under a rock. Not only did he laugh, the commotion had drawn the attention of several patrons.

“Congratulations.” Wayne shoved his paw across the bar. “I’m Detective Wayne O’Malley.”

“Maggie Guthrie.” I shook his hand.

His expression changed from congenial to knocked for six. “Any relation to Rebecca Guthrie-Marchionni?”

“My sister.”

The detective frowned and looked down at the contents of his drink.

The change in his mood piqued my curiosity. “Did you know her?”

“I worked the accident investigation.”

I held onto the edge of the bar to keep from toppling over. “Can I ask you a question, privately?”

He glanced between me and Jessie as if weighing his options, or maybe he thought she’d save him. Hard to tell.

I moved from behind the bar and rested my hand on his arm. “Please.”

He nodded once and pushed to his feet. Any remaining warmth bled from his eyes. He squared his shoulders, stiffened his spine, and raised his chin. Heck, he even walked differently. Had I not witnessed the change in him, I would have thought the laughing guy and the detective were two different people.

The new version scared the crap out of me. I didn’t know if I wanted to ask the questions, let alone hear the answers, but I followed him outside.

Wayne folded his arms and settled the weight of his stare on me. “What can I do for you?”

I debated beating around the bush but decided to get straight to it. “Do you believe my sister’s death was an accident?”

He drew a deep breath and exhaled with a faint wheeze. “That’s what the final report says.”

“That’s not what I asked you.” I decided to try a different tactic. I lowered my gaze, slumped my shoulders, and softened my voice. “Please, I need to know. I’m about to marry into this family. I have to know if the kids and I are in danger.”

“You have kids?” His voice rose in volume and pitch. I’d evidently hit a nerve.

Fidgeting with my hands, I nodded. “I have custody of Joe and Rebecca’s three.”

Wayne sucked air through his teeth, looked up at the sky, and cursed under his breath. “Is it true Gabe’s taking over for Papa Joe?”

I nodded because I didn’t trust my voice to come out normal. I’d gone from playing a victim to feeling like one.

“The Marchionnis have a way of pissing off people. I don’t think there’s imminent danger but caution never hurt anyone.”

“People like Martin Sinclair?”

Wayne’s eyes grew larger before he could sink back behind his detective mask.

“Did he have anything to do with what happened to my sister?”

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