Finn threaded his fingers gently through mine and we both stared at the evening light as it cast bands across the ceiling. “If Aggy really was murdered, somebody has to know enough to clear your name,” he mused.
“Who, though? Frankie was a bust. He’s probably committed a few crimes against fashion in his time, but murdering Agatha?” I raised an eyebrow at Finn and he nodded in agreement. “I feel like I’m swimming against the tide here. I am working with practically no information. Why didn’t they suspect murder straight away? What changed their minds? Who else wanted Agatha dead if it wasn’t Frankie?” I rolled onto my side and propped myself up on my elbow. “What about Agatha’s cousin? Do you think it’s worth sniffing him out or was Frankie trying to throw me off the scent?”
“Sniffing him out,” Finn chuckled. I slapped his chest, surprised by the silky smoothness of his skin, and he grinned. “What? I thought you were making a cat joke.”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “Okay, well, that would have been a dog joke, and I wasn’t. I was asking a serious question.”
“A dog joke?” Finn placed his hand over his heart. “You wound me. And I thought we were getting along just fine.” I pursed my lips and Finn raised his arms in surrender. “Okay, okay, the cousin.” He stared at the wall for a moment. “I remember him. He didn’t come around often, maybe once a year around the holidays. Aggy was always rude to him, but that’s just Aggy. I actually think she kind of liked him coming over; she used to get all dressed up and take her rollers out before he came. But…”
His voice trailed off and he frowned. I touched his shoulder. “But?”
“They had some sort of a falling out a few months ago,” he said.
I raised my eyebrows. “Over the retirement home?” I prompted. “Like Frankie said?”
“Maybe?” Finn screwed his eyes shut. “I don’t think it was just the house. He wanted her to get away from the city. He said she wasn’t safe here.” He sat up and a sudden burst of light illuminated the forest of his eyes. “He said she was playing with fire in Salem.”
“Playing with fire, eh?” I lay back into the pillows and Finn did the same. ”Certainly sounds like there was something funny going on in the Bentley clan.” I turned my head to face Finn and something rippled in my gut. “I’m going to find who did this, Finn. I’m going to get answers for Agatha, and find out how to break your spell and give you your life back, and then I’m going to open my damn juice bar.”
“Atta girl,” Finlay said as he stroked my cheek with his large, warm hand. “Not just a pretty face,” he murmured, and for the thousandth time that day, I felt my skin turned red.
This time, I didn’t care.
Chapter Fifteen
I must have fallen asleep, because I was woken by soft rays of light from the rising sun flitting through the bedroom window. I yawned, stretched, and allowed myself to relax for a blissful moment. I couldn’t remember the last time I had slept so soundly. It had probably been years before, back when Gerard and I had first started to share a bed and I felt like nothing could ever harm me as long as I was in his arms. The stupid, naivety of youth.
I tensed, suddenly aware of the warm presence at my side. Holding in a shriek, I eased to one side as I turned to see Finn lying beside me, naked from the waist up. His arm was draped across my side and his perfect features were angelic in the morning sun—nose straight, jaw strong, full lips balanced by dark brows and lashes, all topped off by that short auburn hair. He was beautiful, no doubt about it. Pity he was a part-time cat.
I slid out from under his arm and tiptoed across the room, careful not to wake him. Fueled by a newfound energy, I rooted for a towel and some fresh clothes. This was it. This was the day I took control of my sorry life. I would hunt down Agatha’s cousin and find out what the hell he knew about her death, and I’d bring all the evidence back to Officer Fitzgerald and clear my name so I could open my new smoothie bar and start a whole new life. Who the hell needed Gerard and his yogalates and money? I was a strong, independent woman, and I was taking control of my destiny with no man to hold me back.
“You know, you could make a guy feel pretty cheap by sneaking off without saying goodbye.” I dropped my towel at the unexpected sound of Finn’s teasing voice and he yawned lazily, stretching his long arms over his head, every muscle in his body rippling.
I forced myself to keep my eyes fixed on his face, refusing to let my gaze wander. “Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you.” I picked my towel up and held it in the air. “Just taking a shower.”
The door swung open and a mussed blond head appeared. “Shower? Is that an invite?”
I crossed my arms over the soft pink towel, holding it to my chest. “Well, well, look what the cat dragged in. No tail today, Pussy?”
“Meow, look who has her claws out this morning,” he purred. “I love it when you’re feisty.”
Shooting him my best attempt at an evil glare, I slipped into the en-suite bathroom and turned full circle, searching for a shower. I emerged a minute later to find Pussy and Finn engaged in some sort of wrestling match on my bed. I raised my eyebrows and cleared my throat to get their attention. “Okay, firstly, stop that weird cat-fighting thing you’re doing. Secondly, is there a shower in the main bathroom?”
“It doesn’t work,” Pussy said, flopping down onto the bed beside Finn. I stared at the skin-tight red underwear he was wearing for a moment and he gave a throaty laugh. “Like what you see, Pricetag? You’re always welcome to get a closer look if Muffin hasn’t worn you out after your night together.”
I flung my towel at his barely covered crotch and gave him a middle-fingered salute. “I’d rather suck lemons than get anywhere near your weird little panties, creepbag, and all that happened in this bed was two people sleeping like babies. Thanks for your overzealous interest.” I tapped the floor with my bare foot. “Now, seriously, where’s Aggy’s shower? I smell like cat.”
Pussy rolled off the bed and draped the towel over my shoulders like a cloak, brushing my hair to one side with firm fingers. His grin seemed to slide over my skin as he sauntered past me. “I wasn’t joking about the shower. There’s one in the main bathroom but it doesn’t work.” He paused on the threshold and glanced over his shoulder. “I guess I could mess around with it later and see if I can get it working. I’m sure you could think of a way to pay me for my service…”
Before I could fling anything else at him, he disappeared into the corridor, red satin clad buttocks winking at me with every step he took. I huffed to myself in irritation as I stamped into the bathroom and twisted the faucet on the tub. Finn dragged himself off the bed, that easy smile of his plastered across his face. “Don’t let Pussy get to you; it’ll only make him want to tease you more.”
“I know, I know, he just gets right under my skin. I’ve no idea how you and Tom put up with him for so damn long, I’d have smothered him in his sleep,” I grumbled.
Finn grinned. “Don’t let Officer Bert Fitzgerald hear you saying things like that.”
“Very funny,” I said, watching his reflection in the age-stained mirror. I hugged my arms to my chest. “What Pussy said—we just fell asleep, right?”
Finn’s skin flushed across his cheekbones. “Of course, you fell asleep on my arm before we’d even finished talking about Agatha’s cousin. I’d never have stayed otherwise, but I didn’t want wake you.” His mouth curved at the edges and he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “And maybe I kind of knew the guys would be a little jealous if I got a chance to sleep in your bed and they didn’t,” he admitted. I raised my eyebrows. “Sorry, Pussy was just so pleased with himself because he had his seven minutes in the closet with you; I don’t usually get a chance to get one up on him.”