Sealed with a Kill (17 page)

“Come on, let’s get this over with,” Tenley said, and she led Matt and Brenna over to her parents.

As they approached, her father looked up from the newspaper he was reading and her mother let her needlepoint fall into her lap. Brenna didn’t know if Tenley had told them exactly who she was bringing to dinner, but judging by the looks of surprise on their faces, Brenna was betting no.

“Mother, Father,” Tenley said, “I’d like to introduce you to Matt Collins and Brenna Miller. They are my guests for dinner.”

Matt held out his hand to Mr. Morse. There was a slight hesitation before Mr. Morse took it and they shook.

“Welcome to our home,” Mrs. Morse said. She sounded perfectly gracious, the consummate hostess.

“Thank you for having us,” Brenna said.

An awkward silence ensued until Mrs. Morse glanced at Tenley. Her eyes narrowed. “You look pale, dear; are you feeling quite well?”

“Oh, I’m fine.” Tenley gave her a small smile. “We’re just crazy busy at the shop with leaf peepers. Right, Brenna?”

“Yeah, we’re really raking it in,” Brenna quipped.

Matt and Tenley laughed, and so did Ally and Josh, but no one else seemed to get it. Brenna sighed. She hated to see a good pun go to waste.

“It’s good to see you, Father,” Tenley said. “Is there any news on who killed Uncle Harvey?”

Mr. Morse glanced at Matt and Brenna. “I hardly think this is the time to discuss this, Tenley.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but the double doors were abruptly opened and Mrs. Winslow announced that dinner was served.

Mr. Morse rose and gestured to Mrs. Morse to lead. He followed her, and the rest of the family fell in behind them. Carrie and Evie followed their parents with their spouses in tow, leaving Ally and Tenley to bring up the rear.

The children were whisked away into another room by two nannies. Ally seemed the only mother reluctant to let go of her child, but the nanny smiled at her and reassured her that she would come and get her if Franny cried.

“We don’t have a nanny,” Ally said to Tenley and Brenna. “I just love her so much. I don’t want to share her with anyone. Is that terrible?”

“I think it’s wonderful,” Tenley said. She squeezed her sister’s arm. “Franny is lucky to have you both.”

Ally smiled and wrapped her hand around her husband’s elbow. They made their way down the hall to another set of double doors, which opened into a large dining room.

Brenna felt her own upbringing come back at her in a rush. The same place settings with a confusing amount of china and silver, cloth napkins, and crystal glasses cluttered the table. There was a large portrait of a sternlooking man sporting a curled mustache and wearing a stiff-looking suit hanging on one wall, and on the opposite was a delicate-looking woman, with a pouf of blond hair on her head and wearing a silk dress that buttoned all the way up to her throat. Brenna was guessing these were the original Morses for whom the town was named.

Although the table was large, Brenna couldn’t help but be aware that she was the odd number at the table. She sat between Matt and Josh, however, and felt fairly well insulated.

Mrs. Winslow was joined by two other young women to serve the family dinner. They started with soup, a butternut squash seasoned with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. It was delicious. Then they moved on to salad. While the girls served new dishes and collected empty plates, the room maintained a steady buzz of chatter, most of which pertained to the weather and events in the town.

Despite the delicious food, Brenna could feel the tension in her shoulders increasing as she forced herself to smile and nod at every mundane comment thrown her way.

Yes, it was cold for October. No, no snow yet. Yes, the fire department did get a new fire engine. It was yellow and not the traditional red. No one was quite sure how they felt about it yet, but there had been grumblings about getting it painted.

Evie, who was sitting directly across from Brenna, signaled for her wineglass to be filled again. Brenna saw her husband put a restraining hand on her arm, but she shook him off and gestured for Mrs. Winslow to fill it almost to the brim.

Brenna glanced at Tenley’s parents, but given that they were at opposite ends of the table, she didn’t think they had a very clear view of Evie.

“So,” Evie said, leaning forward. “I hear you’re quite the body magnet, Brenna.”

Brenna lowered her fork. She didn’t know if she was supposed to respond, since it hadn’t really been a question, but she didn’t want to get caught with a mouthful of food if it turned out she was supposed to say something.

“Evie.” Her husband said her name in a warning tone, but she ignored him.

“Well, what do you have to say about that, Brenna?” Evie asked. “I would be mortified if I had such a reputation, but that’s me.”

Tenley looked as if she were ready to throw a fork at her sister, but Brenna didn’t want to be the cause of familial discord, so she said, “People talk. There’s not much you can do about that.”

“Yes, but you have been the one to find not one but three bodies in Morse Point, a town that hadn’t seen a murder in over fifty years before you came here. I’m surprised Chief Barker doesn’t bring you in for questioning.”

Brenna took a small sip from her water glass. She really didn’t want to cause a scene, but Evie was bringing it on herself.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “but what exactly are you trying to say?”

“Nothing,” her husband said. “I’m sure she meant nothing. Right, Evie?”

“Wrong,” Evie snapped at her husband. “I think I have every right to question what sort of person my sister has brought to the family dinner. You are a guest in our home. I would think you would want to explain your propensity for getting mixed up in all sorts of sordid situations, wouldn’t you?”

“Now, just a minute, Evie,” Tenley said, her voice low with warning. “Brenna is my friend. She has done nothing wrong, and I expect you to treat her cordially, as you would the Queen of England if she were invited to dinner.”

“Oh, what’s the matter?” Evie snarled. “Precious Tenley can’t have anyone question her friend?”

“Evie, really,” Carrie, the oldest sister, cut in brusquely. “You are being unconscionably rude.”

“I’m being rude? I’m not the one who dragged her ignorant high school boyfriend here for Sunday dinner.”

“Here we go,” Matt muttered to Brenna.

“Evelyn.” Mrs. Morse addressed her daughter in a tone that cracked like a whip and did not allow for arguing. “You will apologize to our guests at once.”

Evie stared at Matt and Tenley. “Fine. I’m sorry you’re a part of my sister’s life and therefore now a part of my life.”

“Evelyn!” Mr. Morse’s voice rumbled across the table like rolling thunder, causing Brenna to jump. Evie was not to be deterred, however.

“What’s next, Sis? Are you going to get knocked up and marry the bartender?”

The entire room went quiet. As if Evie finally realized that she had gone too far, she leaned back in her chair, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze, and sipped her wine.

“I apologize for my wife,” Evie’s husband said. She opened her mouth to protest, but he said, “Don’t!”

Then he reached over and pried the glass of wine out of her hand. They stared at each other with a look of loathing so potent it was almost tangible.

“It’s all right,” Matt said in his soothing bartender’s voice. Brenna had seen him talk many a drunk into a cab with that voice. “I’m sure she just said what everyone else is thinking.”

“No, Matt, I’m sorry. But it’s not all right. It’s none of their business what goes on between you and me,” Tenley said. “And as people who pride themselves on their good manners, I expected better of them. I’m sorry.”

“But we’re your family,” Mr. Morse protested. Just then Mrs. Winslow came in with the next course, and everyone fell silent. After they had all been served and she left, Mr. Morse continued. “It is our business who you get involved with because we care about you.”

“Do you? Do you really?” Tenley asked. “Because you recently tried to set me up on a date with a man who is already involved with another woman.”

“What?” Ally asked. “Who?”

“Dad’s new vice president, Brian Steele,” Tenley said.

“But he’s so . . .” Ally paused, looking for the right words.

“Boring?” Brenna supplied.

“Well, yeah,” Ally said.

“What do you mean he’s involved with someone?” Mrs. Morse asked. “He never gave any indication that he was seeing anyone.”

“Well, he is,” Tenley said. “And she’s one of the most disagreeable people I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet, although Evie is giving her a run for her money. Oh, and I think she was involved in Uncle Harvey’s murder.”

“Who? Evie?” Mrs. Morse blinked.

“No, Siobhan Dwyer,” Tenley said.

“Who is that?” Mrs. Morse asked.

“She’s the woman dating Brian.”

“My new vice president?” Mr. Morse asked.

“The same,” Tenley said.

“He’s involved with Siobhan, who is my neighbor,” Brenna said. “But they both deny it, even though Tenley and I saw them together.”

“What do you know about Brian Steele?” Tenley asked her father. “How long has he worked for you? Where did he come from? What would he have to gain from you losing the company?”

“I don’t know,” Mr. Morse said. He looked confused, as if they were firing information at him too fast for him to process. “How does this have anything to do with who you’re dating?”

“Given that you wanted me to dump Matt for Brian, I’d say it has a lot to do with it,” Tenley said.

Mr. Morse’s fair complexion grew blotchy, but Brenna couldn’t tell if it was anger or embarrassment making it so.

“What makes you think this Siobhan woman or Brian have anything to do with Harvey’s murder?” Mrs. Morse asked.

“Maybe it’s just coincidence, but don’t you think it’s odd that Siobhan shows up to live in one of the Morse Point Lake cabins, Uncle Harvey is found dead in the woods around the lake, and Brenna and I see Brian, who is fairly new to your company, leaving Siobhan’s cabin early one morning?”

“I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation,” Mr. Morse blustered.

“Yes, they killed Uncle Harvey and are trying to pin it on you,” Ally said.

All eyes turned to her.

“Well, that’s what you’re saying, isn’t it?” she asked Tenley.

“We don’t know,” Tenley said. “We can’t seem to get any background on either Brian or Siobhan. That’s why I need you to tell me everything you know about him, Father.”

“I am still unclear,” Mr. Morse said. “How does this have anything to do with who you’re dating?”

“It doesn’t,” Tenley said. “Who I date is my business and my business alone. I need you to find out from your personnel people anything they can about Brian Steele. Something isn’t right there, and Brenna and I both agree that he may be the key to finding out what Siobhan’s connection to Uncle Harvey is.”

“I can’t—” Mr. Morse protested, but Tenley cut him off.

“Of course you can. You’re the boss.”

She turned to Matt and smiled. He returned it and said, “Done?”

“Yes, I think I am.” Tenley rose from her seat. “If you’ll excuse us, I think my boyfriend and I are going to leave now.”

Matt rose and walked her to the door. The entire family sat with their mouths agape. At the door, Matt turned around and said, “Thanks for dinner. Sorry we didn’t make it to dessert. Oh, and for the record, I’m not just a bartender. I actually own the Fife and Drum and have for the past five years now.”

If Tenley’s family had been speechless a few minutes ago, they were now frozen in shock. Brenna watched them go, knowing that they would take Matt’s car and she could follow in her Jeep. She saw Mrs. Winslow come through the doors with a tray full of crème brûlée. Yeah, she’d be right behind them, after she had her dessert.

Evie looked at Brenna in disgust, as if she could not believe the breach of etiquette that Brenna was committing by staying when Tenley had left.

Brenna didn’t care. Other than Ally and her husband, she didn’t have the warm fuzzies for anyone seated in this room. They reminded her a little bit too much of her own pretentious parents and the life she’d shared with them in Boston.

She smiled graciously as Mrs. Winslow put her dessert in front of her. She did not wait for the others but picked up her spoon, ready to dig in. Crunchy crystallized sugar had to be broken through before she could get to the thick custard dessert underneath. It was divine.

After several more mouthfuls, when everyone else at the table had joined her, Brenna turned her attention to Mr. and Mrs. Morse. Now she would say what she had come to say.

“Are you aware, Mr. Morse, that Tenley asked me to help her find Harvey Lester’s killer because she is afraid that you will be wrongly convicted?”