Tell Me True (8 page)

WHEN THE SUMMER
carnival came to town, it became the event of the season, at least for me. I loved carnivals and remembered going with my parents and getting sick on cotton candy and deep fried everything.

We waited until later in the day when the
temperature would be cooler and the nighttime glow of carnival lights would be most dramatic. It smelled and looked and felt just like I remembered. It was like going back in time. These were probably the same rides I had been on as a child.

I dragged Ash to the Ferris Wheel and giggled like a child as it took us higher and higher. "I love the smell, you know?
" I said. "All the food and candy and even the faint hint of oil from the rides and the dust from the old tents, all of it makes me nostalgic."

Ash kissed me as we reached the top, a slow kiss that made my heart beat faster. I cuddled in his arms as we enjoyed the view, the cool summer
night air caressing my face as the wind blew past us.

"I love seeing you smiling and happy," he said.

"I wish you could have known my dad. I know you met my mom, but I think my dad would have liked the man you became. I think he'd have been happy we're getting married."

As the ride came to the end, we made our way to the cotton candy stand and found Bridgette and Jon in line. Ash scowled, still not a huge fan of his brother, but I hugged Bridgette and chatted with them as we moved through the line to get our
“cloud of sugar,” as I had called cotton candy when I was little. "I always thought it was so amazing that you could make sugar look like these beautiful colored clouds. It was like eating magic," I said as I took a pink glob of the sticky sweetness and let it melt on my tongue.

Bridgette and I wanted to go in the Fun House of Mirrors, but the boys had already started their cock-comparing contest and were determined to beat each other's highest scores at every game they could find. This
, of course, resulted in Bridgette and me collecting a ridiculous amount of stuffed animals of all sizes.

Apparently
, the bigger the stuffed animal, the bigger the cock. So far, Ash was winning—which pissed Jon off, I could tell.

We ended at a game called Test Your Might. A man with a curly beard tied up in ribbon shouted to the crowd. "Come test y
er might, all ye of strength! Do you have what it takes to make the bell ring? Win your sweetheart the biggest prize of them all!"

Of course
, the Davenports had to try, and Jon ground his teeth, determined to win the grand prize: a giant giraffe that would require special help just to get in the car. Jon took the mallet and let out a huge grunt as he brought it down and we watched as the puck rose to the top of the tower. Bridgette tensed, no doubt hoping her man would win. I didn't care, personally, and thought this show of “manliness” was the epitome of childishness.

The puck came close to the bell. So close. But then it fell and Jon's face fell with it.

Ash took the mallet with a confident swagger, struck with seemingly little effort, and made the bell ring with a loud clang.

Jon didn't look to Bridgette for comfort when he lost. He looked to me, which Ash
and Bridgette noticed.

Ash handed me the prize, and we walked back to the car to stow all the stuffed animals away before returning.

"Are you and Jon done being idiots?" I asked him as we paid to have our photo taken at an old fashioned photo booth.

"Probably not."

I wanted to be mad at him, but he grinned, and his chin dimpled and I melted. "You're impossible, you know that?"

We climbed into the booth
, and he cupped my face in his hands. "I love you, Catelyn. But I need to know. Has Jon tried anything with you?"

I pulled away from his hands. "No! God, Ash, I'm sick of being caught in the middle of whatever you two have going on. You need to get over it."

I was about to get out of the booth before the pictures started, but he pulled me back in, closed the curtain and kissed me. "I need you. Now."

He pulled off my shirt and suc
ked on one nipple as he slid his hand down my pants.

The picture snapped once.

I freed his cock from his jeans, pulled my panties and pants off one leg and spread myself for him.

The picture snapped twice.

He thrust himself inside of me, and we fucked hot and dirty and fast and hard.

The picture snapped the last time.

And we both came.

***

Later that night we met back up with Bridge and Jon and challenged each other to a maze race. The four of us each began in different places and the first one out won. I'd gotten to the midway point when I ran into Jon.

"Cat
. I was hoping we'd meet up in here. Just the two of us."

"Have you seen anyone else?" I asked.

"No, but I wanted to talk to you. Look, I feel really guilty about the thing with Molly. I just wanted you to know that she was happy with the arrangement and grateful to have the funds she needed to raise the baby right."

I doubted
it was that simple in the girl's mind, but I smiled. "That's great, Jon."

"I'm worried about Bridgette though."

"Why?"

"She's been super emotional lately. Kind of crazy. Not like you, Cat. You're so stable and even tempered. You always know what to say to make things right."

He leaned in to kiss me and I backed away, shocked. "Jon, we can't. And what if someone saw?"

He frowned, but stepped back, shaking his head. "
You're right. Not now. Bridgette would kill me if she found out."

BRIDGETTE WAS LUCKY
her family was rich. They arrived at the police station, convinced Molly not to press charges, talked the police into letting Bridgette go citing emotional PTSD from Jon's death as the reason for her insane behavior, and promised to get her help. Since Mr. Beaumont still hated me, I left with the promise to call her soon. She seemed so pale and sad, I worried for her even more than I already had.

Knowing Ash would still be working, I drove to Harvard and hoped that Professor Cavin would be keeping his office hours during the summer. He'd known my mother quite well, had been her mentor, and even her lover for a time. I wanted him at my wedding, and since we wouldn't have time to send out new
initiations, I wanted to make sure he had the information for the new date and location.

Another student, a freshman by the looks of him, was leaving the office as I arrived.
Professor Cavin smiled warmly when he saw me and came around his desk to hug me. "How are you holding up, Catelyn?"

"As well as can be expected," I said. "Better than Bridgette." I filled him in on what happened at the art auction.

He shook his head sadly. "This murder has caused ripples of fear through our community. Especially for those who knew him."

He filled a mug with coffee, adding three sugars and enough cream to turn it light and handed it to me.

"Thank you," I said, taking in the aroma. "I actually came by today to invite you to our rescheduled wedding." I handed him a note with the details on it. "Not as fancy as the first batch, but it'll have to do. Many of my mom's closest friends will be there. The Davenports and Beaumonts, Maxwell Fisher… "

"I understand. I'd be honored to attend. Anyone who was close to your mother would be thrilled to see you happy and in love."

After making his own coffee, he settled behind his desk and stared at me for a moment. "It's good that you're not putting it off. Love shouldn't have to wait at the hands of death."

"That was our thought
, too," I said.

"Do the police have any leads? Any ideas why he was killed? Or by whom?"

"No, none. I can't believe they have nothing. It worries me. What if they give up and the case goes cold?"

"Your mother knew Ash and Jon. In some ways, she was close to them. What if Jon found something? What if he found the book she was working on, or someone thought he did? Maybe he was killed for it."

He didn't know I'd found my mother's notes and I couldn't tell him. Couldn't risk someone hurting a man who had been a mentor and guide to me. But I couldn't help but think the Midnight Murderer wasn't done with me yet.

Cavin leaned in, his hazel eyes intense. "Catelyn, did Jon have your mother's book? If he did, you must tell me. It could
have meant death for him. And it could mean death for you."

***

I didn't tell my professor about Jon and the book. My stomach tightened as I considered how at risk everyone I loved was just by knowing me.

My next stop led me to the illustrious Maxwell
Fisher, Esquire. My attorney. Every girl should have an attorney on hand for when they're accused of murdering their best friend. It saves time.

Maxwell was in his office, but I had to wait while he finished up with a client. Caffeine buzzed through me from my meeting with Cavin, so I refused the offer of coffee and took water instead as he told his secretary to hold his calls.

I sat in the plush leather sofa in his office while he took a chair across from me. "What can I do for you, Catelyn?"

I handed him the note I'd written up. "It's a makeshift invite to my wedding. The new one. We'd like you to be there."

"Thank you. Of course I'll be there. I wouldn't miss seeing Alice's daughter getting married."

"Speaking of my mother," I said, "what can you tell me about her relationship with Jon Davenport? You were close to her. You exchanged many letters. Surely she confided in you about her work with the Davenports?"

He leaned back, thinking. "I think you already know that Alice was responsible for putting Ash in juvie."

I nodded.

"Before that, she also did some work for his family. Helping them out with legal matters. At one point she also helped defend Jon when he got into a few scuffs from his temper. She made sure it stayed off the books. He was always getting in trouble."

"Could that trouble still be around?"

"Maybe."

"Enough trouble to get him killed?" I asked.

He glanced to the left. "Apparently."

"You knew Jon some, didn't you? You've worked with the Davenports for years as their legal coun
sel?"

"I mostly do work for Ash, but yes, I knew Jon." He adjusted his tie
, holding eye contact with me.

"Did he have any secrets?" I held my breath
as I waited for him to answer.

"Everyone has secrets, Catelyn.
” He paused. “Even your mom had her secrets."

I left the office with more questions and few answers. Max hadn't elaborated. I didn't think he knew much more than that, but I couldn't be sure. I'd have to keep digging. I felt like I was missing something that was painfully obvious and staring right at me.

I heard someone call my name and turned to see Jim standing under a tree by the parking lot, smoking. I hesitated, then closed my door, wondering what he wanted. He gestured for me to follow him.

And so I did.

I PACKED MY
golf clubs into the back of my car and slammed the trunk shut. Jon had already left, but I'd stuck around to practice a bit more. My swing was improving, but I knew I'd never love the game like my dad had. Maybe if he were still here to play with me, it would have stuck more.

When a man's hand landed on my shoulder, I turned, startled, and nearly punched Ash's private investigator in the face. He grabbed my fist with faster reflexes and smirked. "Your reflexes are getting better. That's good."

I sighed, my heart still beating too fast as adrenaline coursed through my veins. "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," he said, sucking on a cigarette as he talked.

"I'm playing golf. I would think that was self-explanatory." I walked to the driver's door and was about to open it, when he pushed his hand against it to stop me. "What's going on with you and Jon?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you two are spending an awful lot of time together and he's not looking at you the way a brother-in-law should be looking at his brother's fiancée."

"You almost sound jealous."

"Not jealous, just protective. And suspicious."

"What I'm doing with Jon is none of your business."

He let go of the car door so I could open it, but he still stood too close, the smoke from his cigarette gagging me. "Everything that concerns you is my business."