had a bad gene pool. They keep waiting for us to turn into nymphomaniacs, or kill each other, or something.”
She laughed when she said it, but Tess heard an undercurrent of pain beneath the mirth. Rowena acted tough, but perhaps something softer lay beneath?
“Not they,” Dallas corrected gently. “It’s probably just one person. You know most of Silverdell is on our side.”
Tess could imagine how unsettling it must be to walk the streets of Silverdell, wondering whether every face might be the face of this anonymous enemy. “Do you know who it is?”
Rowena shook her head. “No. There are a few likely suspects, sourpusses and sleazeballs who haven’t gotten along with Bell River for decades. But no proof against anyone.”
Dallas put his arm around Rowena. “The department has looked into it, and continues to do so. Is it okay if I send someone to the spa tomorrow to talk to you about anything you might have seen?”
Tess nodded. She thought about mentioning the dustup with Mrs. Fillmore, and especially the odd disappearance of Marley Baker, but she was too tired to go into it now. In fact, she felt more than a little woozy. She realized she hadn’t ever stopped for a meal all day. She hadn’t eaten a single bite since last night. No wonder she felt so bad.
“Tomorrow’s fine,” she said. “I don’t think I have any clients around the lunch hour, if that would work for you.”
“Tess,” Rowena said, her voice suddenly urgent. “If you feel that...” She paused, as if searching for the right phrasing. “If it makes you so uncomfortable that you would rather not stay...I want you to know we wouldn’t hold it against you. We would provide an excellent recommendation—”
“No.” Tess appreciated the gesture, but no way was she leaving because of some snake like Marley Baker. “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable at all. This is the work of a coward who doesn’t even have the nerve to make his comments face-to-face.”
With her last ounce of energy, she turned to Dallas, trying to project the certainty he’d shown his son. “I’ll see someone from your office tomorrow, then?”
She thought she might have seen a glimmer of respect in his gaze. He nodded.
“Tess,” Rowena said, “would you like to stay to—”
Again Tess interrupted Rowena. She was giving out. Her legs had begun to feel like wobbly strings, and her stomach churned acidly. She was afraid she might pass out, or even vomit, if she didn’t get home.
Home. Well, the hotel that was passing for home right now, anyhow. The job included a cabin, but it wasn’t ready yet, though Jude Calhoun was putting the finishing touches on it. Tonight, though, where she landed didn’t matter. Anywhere with a bed and a cup of hot tea would suffice.
She mumbled something she hoped was civil and headed to the door. In an excess of courtesy, Rowena and Dallas escorted her, but if they made small talk, Tess didn’t hear it. A dull roar had started in her ears, and she couldn’t even hear herself think.
She must have said the right things, because finally the door closed behind her, and she was alone on the porch, with the lights and the scent of the garlands.
Oh, no. She put her hands against her stomach, feeling bile rise. She loved the smell of pine, and yet right now she found it the most repulsive odor in the world. Her stomach heaved, and she lost focus.
She had to get home. She pulled out her phone, but there was no one to call, was there? All she saw was the missed call log—two more from Craig, who simply would not give up. She hadn’t even felt the vibration from incoming calls. She’d been running so hard all day.
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