Dirty Thief

Turning around, I see James the old butler standing in the entrance to the study. “You startled me,” I say, attempting to act casual.

“I’m so sorry, your highness. I thought you looked a little lost.” I’m pretty sure he suspects I’m up to something.

Still, I do my best to act cool. “Actually, I was remembering the king told me something about a book he kept in here. I was just scanning the titles.”

“I’m sure you’ve realized those are not actual books.” He nods toward the fake spines I’m holding that were used to cover the small safe.

“Of course,” I laugh, but it’s a little too breathy. “I was just thinking how funny to use these to cover that little safe.”

“It’s a very effective camouflage. They hide anything… unless one knows something is there.”

With a tight smile, I lean down to restore the fake row of books. Then I step from around the desk and start for the door. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll check with my husband later about the book.”

I can’t tell if my tone is snappish,

but I mentally add Old Grandma to the end of my sentence. Now what am I going to do? Walking to the kitchen, I remember our early wakeup call. That new guard André hasn’t spent much time around me. We need to go back to the palace so I can see what weapons he might be concealing… and not thinking about when I’m in the room.

* * *

It’s after lunch when we arrive at the palace. I assume Rowan and his team are in the war room, but when we enter the sitting area, the television is on. My husband is on the screen standing behind a police chief, and it appears they’re giving a press conference about the two recent murders.

I start to walk toward it when Zelda and I both take three steps back. A short old woman rises like a phantom from the Edwardian armchair behind an indoor ficus tree. She’s dressed in a lavender suit that has a small fringe around the cuffs and the lapels, and on top of her grey helmet of hair is a matching pillbox hat. Around her neck is her signature double strand of pearls, and as usual, she is not smiling.

“Your majesty!” I do a bow.

Zelda exhales a loud sigh of annoyance and bows along with me. Belle starts kicking and struggling until my sister lets her down, and she runs straight into her grandmother’s arms.

“Mee!” Belle cries as the old woman sits down again, lifting the toddler in her arms.

Zee and I straighten, and while my sister frowns, I can’t deny a hint of warmth in my chest as the usually crabby old lady softens for my golden angel-niece.

“Belle,” she says in her high, creaky voice. “You look more like your daddy every day.”

My niece looks exactly like her mother as a baby, and when I glance at Zelda, she rolls her eyes.

“When did you get back, ma’am?” I say walking toward my mother-in-law.

“Early this morning,” she says, not looking at us. “I heard Cal came for a visit, and I wanted to see our little princess.”

“It’s nice to see you again, your majesty,” Zelda says, doing a little curtsey.

“Miss Wilder, you’re looking well.”

Belle is patting the old woman’s little hat, and I almost laugh. It’s amazing what that little girl can get away with around her grumpy grandmother. I can’t help but wonder if the queen mother will be the same way with our baby. Rowan has always said his mother spoils Cal, not that he seems to care.

“Have you been out in the sun, Ava?”

I realize the old queen is staring at me with one eye squinted and one eyebrow up. I get the creepy feeling she somehow knows I’m pregnant, even though we agreed not to tell anyone… other than Zelda and Cal.

“We have been at Occitan,” I say and do a little smile.

“Hm…” She isn’t convinced, but she waves her hand. Her tone is more solemn when she continues. “I also needed to come back because of these latest crimes. My son just said they have a lead on who is committing them. Has he confided in you?”

“No ma’am,” I say, although I feel pretty confident I know who is behind them.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had so much unrest,” she continues, still holding Belle in her arms. “I suppose such things are cyclical.” She presses a kiss to one chubby cheek then releases the struggling toddler. “Doesn’t make them any easier to digest.”

“Does Rowan know you’re here?” Her kindness to Belle coupled with her genuine sorrow over the recent crimes makes me want to be friendly.