Whisper of Shadows (The Diamond City Magic Novels) Read Free Page B

Again.
    “When Elaine was murdered, I believed the crime was random. Certainly the police said so. Years later, I discovered Elaine had been killed because of her ties to some dangerous people. She’d always kept her past a secret from me.”
    “You’re a dreamer,” I said, fighting through the tightness in my throat. “You expect us to believe you never tiptoed into her skull to have a look around?”
    He shook his head. “I should have looked, but I trusted her. I loved her. I regret it with all my heart, now. When I learned why she was killed, I promised myself I’d never make that mistake again. I’d do whatever I had to do to protect the people I loved, no matter the cost.”
    I bit the inside of my cheek til I tasted blood. If he thought that justified what he’d done to me, he had another thing coming.
    “What exactly did you discover about Elaine’s murder?” Mel asked.
    Thank goodness for her. I wasn’t sure I could stay logical. I just wanted to scream. He was blaming my mom for her death. At least that’s what I was hearing. If only she didn’t keep secrets, he could have protected her.
    “Elaine had stolen things from people who don’t tolerate that sort of thing. They wanted their goods back and they wanted her to pay.” He sighed and looked at me. “I hate to say it, but your mom was a grifter. She knew how to run a con, and she was good at it. When she met me, she quit. I didn’t learn about her previous profession until years later. I’m sorry, Peach, but I can’t hide it from you anymore. Your mother wasn’t the woman we thought she was.”
    My brain burst into flames. First, calling me Peach. He’d called me that as a kid, but he didn’t have the right anymore. Second, my mom was a con artist? Did he really expect me to buy that line of bullshit?
    I didn’t want to believe him. Believe that Mom was responsible for her own death. But inside, I just didn’t know. I couldn’t know. I couldn’t believe anything he said, and I couldn’t not believe it. I had no facts, and none of my childhood memories were reliable. That’s when I remembered I could actually ask my mom. She might be dead, but her ghost was hanging around in the spirit dimension, and she wanted to talk to me. Dad knew nothing about that. Doubt crept in again. What if she was a con artist? What if everything she said was a lie? God, what a complete clusterfuck.
    Taylor pushed away from Leo and went behind the bar. She poured herself a healthy drink, but left it untouched. I understood the need to do something, not to mention she’d put a massive piece of wood between her and Dad.
    Abruptly, I strode over and picked up the drink that she hadn’t touched and drank down half of it. It was pretty much straight-up vodka with a touch of lemon. It burned down my throat and made my eyes water.
    Taylor met my gaze, her blue eyes sunken and bruised. Her lips ghosted in a smile as I raised the glass in a toast and swallowed the rest. She reached for a bottle and set up another one as I set the glass back down.
    “Nothing like a dysfunctional family reunion to make you start drinking, is there?” she murmured. “Do you think he’s telling the truth about your mom?”
    My teeth bared. “I think we can’t trust a word he says.”
    She lifted her glass. “Amen to that.”
    “You all right?”
    “Sure. Why not?” Her smile was brittle.
    I reached over and touched her hand. She gripped mine tightly, then let it go. I took a breath and let it out, then faced back around. Time to deal with this head-on.
    I wasn’t entirely sure what I was going to say, but I never got a chance.
    A flash of brilliant light burst outside. At the same time, a rumble like thunder rolled underneath the floor. Wood groaned and strained.
    “What the hell is going on?” Price demanded, glaring at my father.
    Leo and Jamie had that preoccupied look they got when they were talking to metal.
    Dalton had started talking into his hand. He eyed the