“Is that all you wanted to ask me?” Ali said, thinking he’d gone to a lot of trouble for one question.
“No, there’s more.” Kit tapped on the table with his index finger. Ali noted that his hands were well-manicured, but not to the degree that they appeared feminine. “What is your connection to the yellow cottage on the beach?”
This captured her attention. “Why?”
“I need to know,” he said. “It’s part of my investigation.”
“I just purchased the house this morning, but something tells me you already know this,” she said. “You know about what I found when I was clearing out the overgrowth?”
“I wouldn’t be much of a reporter if I didn’t,” he said. “That’s what I wanted to ask you about—the house and the grounds.”
Valentina held up a hand. “I doubt Ali knows anything about that bone or those that were found years ago. Is this what you want to know? I remember when . . .” She paused. “Never mind. It’s your job to figure things out, not mine.” She leaned back in her chair.
“This is about the bones, right?” Ali asked. “I can tell you this—the bone that I dug up was a femur. I couldn’t tell you how long it’d been there, though it was tangled in the roots. It took a hard yank to remove it.”
“What did you do when you realized what you’d found?” Kit asked.
“I called 9-1-1, and the operator told me to put the bone back where I found it. Which was unprofessional to say the least, but I did as she asked. An hour later, the sheriff’s department arrived, then the forensics team. They asked me a few questions. End of story.”
“But you’re interested in the bones I’m thinking of, right?” Valentina asked Kit.
“Are there others you know about?” Kit asked Valentina. “Older bones, maybe twenty plus years ago?”
“Actually, about five or six years ago, bones were discovered close to Ali’s new place, but as far as I know, they never identified who they belonged to. I never heard anyone mention another set of bones. Twenty years ago, I might’ve been traveling with my parents. Is there more going on that you can’t discuss?”
Kit’s expression went from questioning to intense. “Do you know who found these bones five years ago? I’ve been through dozens of records. I never came across anything that mentioned a second set of bones found on the property. I’m working on finding an older set of bones myself. Would you remember the investigator from five or six years ago? I’d like to speak with him.”
“I don’t know if there was ever a formal investigation. Renée was ten, and I refused to let her out of my sight until they made an arrest.” Valentina’s voice rose. “And as far as I know, there was never an arrest. No one around here likes to talk about this. After a while, everyone on the island seemed to forget. Myself included. From what I understand, the remains were never identified. Supposedly they’re still being held at the county morgue.”
“Lacey, the owner of Mariner’s Cottages, where I spent the past two nights, knew about the bones. The ones found a few years ago,” Ali offered.
Kit nodded. “Do you recall why this particular topic came up in your conversation?”
Ali finished the last of her tea. “I do, because it ticked me off. I told her I was planning to purchase the yellow cottage. That’s what the locals call the place. She told me this practically as soon as we met. She said there was a rumor, that the remains of a young girl were found a few years back. Brian something-or-other, her brother-in-law, owns Diamond Realty. She told me she could call him, see if the rumor was true. Said she’d only lived in the area for a few years. I was excited about buying my first house and irritated at her for spreading gossip. Her bad news ruining my good news kinda thing,” she explained. “Odd she would know all this, and you don’t, being a reporter and all.”
“Maybe she knows more than she’s telling you,” Valentina suggested.
“Is this just a thought, or something else?” Ali asked her.
Laughing, Valentina said, “A thought. I’m not always on, if you know what I mean.”
“What does that mean? Am I missing something?” Kit asked.
No one spoke. Ali waved her hand in the air and the waitress returned to the table. “Can we get a refill?” Ali asked.
“Absolutely, sugar,” she said.
She chewed on her lip, something she did when she was nervous. “You’re the reporter—you tell me,” Ali said.
Valentina sighed, then directed her attention to Kit. “You know about me, right?”
“I know lots of things about many people. Is there something in particular I should know about you?” Kit asked.
She let out the breath she’d been holding. “I give readings.”
“You mean the psychic stuff?”
Valentina nodded.
“I’m a reporter, not a mind reader,” he said, grinning. Ali noticed his smile reached his eyes, the corners crinkled from smiling. Or maybe he spent too much time in the sun, searching for bones that didn’t exist. She found him very attractive in a preppy sort of way. She guessed he was a few years older than her, closer to Valentina’s age, though she didn’t know exactly how old her new friend was. It didn’t matter.
“Good thing, because I’m not, either. Just because I’m intuitive, doesn’t mean I know what people are thinking,” said Valentina. “I don’t speak to dead people; I don’t have a crystal ball. All the clichés one associates with a psychic. I connect with most, though not all the time.”
“So, what vibes are you getting from me right now?” Kit asked.
Valentina laughed. “You’re serious?”
Ali watched the two of them. Was there an attraction between them? Her stomach knotted at the thought. Valentina was acting different. Almost defiant, as though she had to defend her abilities.
“I am very serious,” Kit said.
“I’m not getting any ‘vibes,’ or whatever you’d like to call them, coming from you. I assume if you want a reading, you’ll find me and make an appointment like everyone does,” she explained none too nicely.
“Sorry, but I had to ask. Back to the bones. You don’t remember anything about an investigation then? Five or six years isn’t that long ago.”
“Just that bones were found, supposedly of a young girl. I did my best to keep Renée away from any news and folks that like to gossip. She was so young that I didn’t want her knowing these things had happened. But she knew something was up. She’s always been nosy.”
The waitress brought them fresh glasses of iced tea and removed the empty ones. “Y’all want to order somethin’ now? We’ve got baby back ribs on special this evening. Early bird starts at three.”
“Give us a minute,” Kit said, giving the waitress a smile.
“Sure thing, sweetie,” she said, then winked at him before departing.
“Would you all like an early dinner? My treat,” Kit offered.
“Maybe another time,” Valentina told him. “I have plans.”