Stranger in the Moonlight (Edilean 7)

“‘A Well-Loved Man,’” Russ answered. “Not a bad thing to have people say about you. Sorry, but there was no evidence of a wife or kids.”

“His father was named—”

“Gustav,” Kim supplied.

“Right,” Travis said. “No doubt that was told to you by the mysterious man named Red.”

“What’s mysterious about him?”

“Just that he disappears whenever we show up,” Travis said.

“He’s probably heard you’re a Maxwell and he runs away,” Russ said. “Smart man.”

Kim squinted her eyes at Russell. He was as much a Maxwell as Travis was.

Russ gave a one-sided grin. He understood Kim’s meaning perfectly. “So what do we do now?”

“We don’t do anything,” Travis said. “You are going to walk around town and ask questions until you find the owner of this old place. Kim and I are going to look at jewelry.”

“Oh?” Russ asked, an eyebrow raised.

“For designs,” Kim said quickly.

Travis pulled her arm through his. “Keys,” he said to Russell, his hand extended.

“I need to—”

“Keys!” Travis said in a voice meant to be obeyed.

Russ laughed. “Big—Maxwell commands.” He tossed Travis the car keys.

Kim was sure Russ had been about to say that “big brother commands.”

With a grin, Russ winked at Kim.

He’s enjoying this, she thought. And he’s going to delight in dropping this brotherly bombshell on Travis.

When they were in the car, Kim asked Travis what he and Russ had talked about when they were alone.

“Nothing much, why?”

“Did you two keep arguing the whole time you were there?”

“Naw,” he said, smiling. “That’s all done for your benefit. He was actually good help. There are only six headstones in the little cemetery, and I took photos while Russ wrote down names and dates. I guess your friends will want all the data.”

“I’m sure they will,” Kim said.

“So what did you do, other than meet a man in secret?”

She ignored his comment as she opened her sketchbook. They had reached the center of the little town and Travis expertly parallel parked the car, turned off the engine, and took the book to look at Kim’s designs.

“So this slides around a woman’s neck?” he asked.

“Yes, and the earrings go up.”

“Not down? Not grazing her shoulders?”

“I’m not much on chandelier earrings.”