Night of the Raven (24 page)

“She’s lucky that rope she had wrapped around her wrist caught on one of the supports.”

Amara smiled. “I’m not thinking she’ll see it that way.” She paused then said, “It was the pink lipstick that gave it to me. Pink lipstick on a wineglass in Hannah’s kitchen sink. Suddenly, I realized. We went through Hannah’s things. She didn’t wear makeup.”

“And Willy Sparks had no reason to want Hannah dead.”

“So Yolanda it was. Had to be. What about you? What gave it to you?”

“Her brother works with explosives. She’d have known how to set charges, and anyone can make a Molotov cocktail.”

Amara frowned. “Do we know why she blew up the bar? Other than trying to kill me, of course, which would have been her primary motive. But I mean, destroy her own workplace?”

McVey shrugged. “I imagine she was making a statement of some sort.”

“I suppose it makes sense from Yolanda’s point of view. Uncle Lazarus left the Red Eye to her in his will. She was...unimpressed to say the least.”

“I also saw the pink lipstick a split second before she whacked me with your uncle’s cane,” McVey said. “Then everything went from pink to black.”

Tipping her head to the side, Amara rested it on his shoulder. “You have to admit, it’s been a hugely eventful day.”

“More than you probably know. I got word from Lieutenant Michaels’s captain. Jimmy Sparks is dying.”

“There seems to be a lot of that going around.”

“His position within the family has been taken over by his sister. Rumor has it she’s much less vindictive than her brother.”

“I really, seriously, hope that’s true.” When a raven glided in for a landing on one of the wagons, Amara waved her glass at it. “That bird’s been popping up everywhere I go since we got back to town. I recognize it by the small gray streak on its head.”

McVey grinned. “At the risk of repeating myself, male ravens around here have damn good taste.”

She traced the outline of its sleek black wings and shiny feathered head. “I wonder if he’s the same raven I saw on the bridge.”

“You saw a raven on the bridge?”

She batted his stomach. “Yes, I did, and so did you. You must have. It was sitting right above your head.”

“Are you sure it was real?”

“Positive. The tamers are good, but no one’s that good. That raven, like this one, was staring at me. Turning back to the legend, it’s possible he was staring on behalf of someone who sent him.”

“And that would be?”

“Not Yolanda’s brother. And not Jake. I’d say Uncle Lazarus, except he doesn’t believe.”

“That you know of.”

Amara chuckled. “My uncle’s a practical man, McVey. Practical men don’t buy into legends.”

“Once again—that you know of.”

“Right.” Laughing, she turned to face him and hook an arm around his neck. “So, ignoring the raven, which isn’t as easy as you might think, where does that leave us?”

He slid his fingers through her hair, nudged her head up a notch. “I guess the answer to that depends on you. You’re going to be a very rich woman in a very short time. You’ll be able to come and go as you please. Or stay if you’d prefer.”

She regarded him through her lashes. “While I’m torn, I have to admit I’m leaning.”

The raven gave an irritated caw and, even to McVey’s eyes, appeared to glare at them.

Glancing over, Amara frowned. “Okay, now I’m the one who’s spooked. That raven looks scarily like Uncle Lazarus in disapproval mode. Which makes me think I’m starting to buy in to the local legends, and I mean all the way in, because, if you think about it, what did Sarah Bellam ultimately want?”

“Hezekiah’s fortune,” McVey said without hesitation.

“Exactly. And her solution to the problem of attaining it, once she discovered she was pregnant with Ezekiel’s child, was to eliminate anyone and everyone who might also lay claim to it. Add in the fact that she was a vindictive witch whose lover wanted her sister more than he wanted her, and you have the perfect recipe for murder. Two Blumes and a Bellam in Sarah’s case.”

“If she’d succeeded, and allowing for the fact that Lazarus’s sister died without anyone’s help, Yolanda had an eerily similar plan.” McVey ran a thumb across her lower lip. “Kill you—a Bellam. Hannah—a Blume. And wait for Lazarus—also a Blume—to succumb.”

“Two Blumes and a Bellam,” Amara said. “And you thwarted their plans in both lifetimes. That’s an impressive score, Annalee.”

A smile touched McVey’s mouth as the raven flapped impatient wings. “No comment.”

Amara finished her wine. “A little bird—not him—told me Ty and Molly have decided to relocate to Florida. He also mentioned that late this very afternoon you were offered Ty’s job here in the Hollow. One chief, two towns and the saddest excuse for a medical clinic I’ve ever seen... Am I avoiding the real question here?”

“If the question is where should we have sex, I’ll be happy to supply the answer.”

She teased him with her eyes. “Answer this instead. Do you want me to stay?”

He held her gaze. “Yes.”

“Then I’ll stay.”

“Good answer, Red.”

As he lowered his head, McVey saw the raven spread its wings. It stared a moment longer, then flew off as silently as it had arrived.

If there was anything at all to the local legends, he hoped Lazarus Blume would fall asleep smiling tonight.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from DELIVERANCE AT CARDWELL RANCH by B.J. Daniels.

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SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM

Read on for a sneak peek of
DELIVERANCE AT CARDWELL RANCH
by
New York Times
bestselling author
B.J. Daniels
Part of the
CARDWELL COUSINS
series.
Daniels delivers another Cardwell Ranch keeper with a woman on the run...

and the lawman sworn to keep her safe.

“Maybe you don’t understand the fine line between snooping and jail. Breaking and entering is—”

“I’m going with you,” Donning a hat and gloves, Gillian turned to look at him.

Austin was smiling at her as if amused.

“What?” she asked, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny. She knew it was silly. He’d seen her at her absolute worst.

“You just look so…cute,” he said. “Clearly breaking the law excites you.”

She smiled in spite of herself. It had been a while since a man had complimented her. But it wasn’t breaking the law that excited her.

She breathed in the freezing air. It stung her lungs, but made her feel more alive than she had in years. Fear drove her steps, along with hope.

At the dark alley, Austin slowed. It was late enough that there were lights on in the houses.

“Come on,” Austin said, and they started to turn down the alley.

A vehicle came around the corner, moving slowly. Gillian felt the headlights wash over them and let out a worried sound as she froze in midstep.

Her moment of panic didn’t subside when she saw that it was a sheriff’s department vehicle.

“Austin?” she whispered, not sure what to do.

He turned to her and pulled her into his arms. Her mouth opened in surprise and the next thing she knew, he was kissing her. At first she was too stunned to react. But after a moment, she put her arms around his neck and lost herself in the kiss.

As the headlights of the sheriff’s car washed over them, she gave a small helpless moan when Austin deepened the kiss, drawing her even closer.

The sheriff’s car went on past, and she felt a pang of regret. Slowly, Austin drew back a little. His gaze locked with hers, and for a moment they stood like that, quick, warm breaths coming out in white clouds.

“Sorry.”

She shook her head. She wasn’t sorry. She felt…lightheaded, happy, as if helium filled. She thought she might drift off into the night if he let go of her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, looking worried.

She touched the tip of her tongue to her lower lip. “Great. Never better.”

Find out what happens next in
DELIVERANCE AT CARDWELL RANCH
by
New York Times
bestselling author B.J. Daniels,
available December 2014, only from Harlequin® Intrigue®.

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Heinlein

ISBN-13: 9781460342220

Night of the Raven

Copyright © 2014 by Jacqueline Goff

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