“There’s crime-scene tape all over your property,” Katie reminded her.
“Ah, but I don’t plan to go home and play in the mangrove swamp,” Kelsey assured her. She kissed her friend, who looked exhausted as well, and assured them all she was just going to take a nap, and she’d see everyone the following day. Clarinda needed to get to work, Jonas had to act as host at his B and B, and Jaden admitted she was eager to get back to the little box and the research she was doing. David, Sean and Vanessa had their own work to return to as well. Kelsey really was fine—and tired. Tomorrow, with Cutter now restfully buried, she would start reading the book he had been holding, In Defense from Dark Magick.
It was still daylight when Kelsey and Avery returned to her house.
They walked back to the funeral-home parking lot where Avery had left his rental car and drove the few blocks down Front Street to the little road that led out to the house.
The driveway and the house were free of crime scene tape. It still stretched from the far left of the house to the end of the land, encompassing all but the immediate front and back yards of the house and the house itself.
“Creepy,” Avery announced.
“It’s not creepy—it’s a house. Cutter was a collector, that’s all,” Kelsey said.
“Creepy. I’m sorry, Kelsey, unless you’re a born-again vampire or something, the place is damned creepy,” Avery told her. “Seriously! Look at it. Peeling gray paint. Those windows that look like eyes.” He shuddered. “And a dead body to boot!”
She turned to him. “Avery, are you afraid of staying here? Jonas Weston owns the place right across the water. He turned his family home into a bed-and-breakfast. I can get you a room over there if you’d prefer.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not a coward,” Avery said. “I was just pointing out that the house is—creepy.”
“Okay. Fine. It’s creepy,” she said.
She exited the passenger side of the car. She was feeling a little tipsy. The “celebration of life,” or reception, or whatever they had hosted at O’Hara’s, had lasted all day. It had included a few too many beers. Luckily, Avery had been determined not to have more than one or two drinks, and then switched to diet soda and coffee. She was feeling a little unbalanced—and a little defensive and belligerent, as well.
“I suppose that ‘creepy’ is good for the artist’s soul,” Avery said.
“Yes, and it’s really a beautiful house, and Cutter was a fascinating man. He wanted to preserve artifacts and cultures. He always said that it was both good and bad that the world was homogenizing, and that it was incredibly important that we recognize cultures and beliefs.” She headed for the house, dug in her purse and finally found her keys. By then, Avery had taken his suitcase from the car and joined her on the porch.
“Need help?” he asked.
“Funny, funny,” she said.
“No, I’m being serious. Think you can get that key in the door?”
She twisted the key in the lock, staring at him.
“Hey, I think you should be a little inebriated. You found a body on your property this morning, and you buried your grandfather. Drink yourself into oblivion, if that will help.”
“I don’t want to be oblivious.”
“Then we should make some coffee,” Avery said.
Kelsey didn’t want coffee; it seemed like a nap would be in order. She slipped her arms around Avery and hugged him tightly. “Luckily, you got here after the cleaning. I have to dig some sheets out of a closet to get you a bedroom going, and then I’d like to lie down for an hour or so? Will you forgive me?”
“Only because we were ahead enough on work so that I’m not going to go down because of you,” Avery said, his voice gruff. He smiled. “You know, you’re the stickler, always wanting to be a month up on everything.”
“It works, huh?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I’m still on California time. Flew into Miami yesterday and took a puddle jumper down this morning. Body clock is still adjusting. Take your nap. I’ll find a room, and sheets. I prefer taking care of myself, which I will do, and then grab a bit of a snooze myself.”
“I would never be so rude—”
“Hey, you know me. I remake beds in hotel rooms. I’ll be fine,” he told her.
She kissed his cheek. “Explore my childhood, then. Enjoy,” she told him, waving an arm to encompass the house. “It is truly entertaining. Mummy is by the fireplace. What else? Coffin is over there, gargoyles… Well, knock yourself out. Sheets are actually in bedroom closets.”
“I’m already taking in the animal heads,” Avery assured her. “And I’ll find my way around just fine. Maybe I’ll go out and see the sunset.”
“No!” Kelsey cried. “No, no, no. Promise me you’ll stay right in this house. I don’t want you out on the property alone. Please, Avery—a body was discovered this morning.”
“Hush, my darling, fine. I’m not going anywhere for a while. I’ll see the famous Key West sunset on another night, all right?”