Skeleton's Key (Delta Crossroads Trilogy, Book 2) (40 page)
Read Skeleton's Key (Delta Crossroads Trilogy, Book 2) Online
Authors: Stacy Green
Tags: #Mystery, #Thriller
News of the historical finds in the passage had spread to the National Register, and Ironwood was granted a spot on the list without hesitation. The historical foundation was already fielding requests for tours, and Dani had been busy deciding which Laurent family items to use in the house and which to donate to the foundation.
Lee had groveled and begged her to stay. With Cage on the mend and her temper eased, she was able to start down the path of forgiveness. Lee had made some big mistakes, but his intentions had been in the right place. And if he hadn’t contacted Gina when he had, she and Cage would both be dead.
“The restoration guy does good work.”
Cage grunted as he came to sit next to her. “He better after that ordeal.”
“You feeling okay? No pain?”
He kissed her shoulder. “I’m fine. You’re red-faced and looking melted, though.”
“Thanks so much.”
“Jaymee’ll be here to help soon. I can get her to make you some sweet tea if you want. I know how much you love it.”
Dani gagged. “Awful stuff. You Southerners have questionable tastes.”
“Hey now.” Cage stretched out his long legs and propped himself up on his elbow. “I happen to hate that sugary goop. And I have excellent taste.”
“Well, you did fall for me. That gives you some bonus points.”
“There you go.”
Dani rubbed her face. “Ugh. I need a shower. What time is the service again?”
The bones of Camille Semple were being laid to rest in the Roselea Historic Cemetery in the family plot, and the descendants Ben Moore and Norton Investments had run off the farm had invited Cage and Dani to the service.
“Two hours.” Cage trailed his fingers down her arm. “And we haven’t christened the bathroom since the new shower was installed.”
Heat raced through Dani. She leaned down to kiss Cage, her lips lingering against his. “Then we’d better get moving.”
She pulled him to his feet and then allowed him to lead her through the hallway to the bathroom. The heavy pall that had hovered inside Ironwood was lifting. They had the floors shined and the marble restored in the past month. A crime scene crew had cleaned the basement and a cement floor would be laid eventually, but the rest of the house smelled clean and fresh thanks to the restoration efforts.
As Cage led her into the bathroom, Dani glimpsed her new life over her shoulder. The grand dual staircase had been made safe, and hours of elbow grease had the mahogany gleaming in the afternoon sun. So much work left to do, but so much promise lay ahead of her.
“You coming?” Cage pulled his shirt off revealing the still red scar. It made butterflies ripple through her stomach every time she saw it, but it was also a reminder for everything she’d never realized she’d needed until she almost lost it.
Her mother would be proud.
And finally, Dani could allow her mother’s grip on her soul to ease. She was no longer the unsure child needing guidance or the frustrated adult stuck with taking care of an invalid mother. She was an independent woman who had to make her own choices. Her mother might not have agreed with all of them, but that was all right. It was time to let her go.
“D?”
She smiled at Cage standing naked in the bathroom doorway. “Yeah. Just make sure the water’s cold.”
“Crazy Yankee.”
“Good old Southern boy.”
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She’s no killer. She’s just taking out the trash.
