The Hound of Bar Harborville (A Jane True Short Story) (Trueniverse Book 1) by Nicole Peeler Read Free Book Online

out. Seriously, Jane. If we don’t have sex soon, I may actually explode.”
    She giggled, but then her laughter stopped and she put a hand on my cheek. “You mean it, don’t you?”
    “This is our vacation,” I said, my voice that of a man falsely accused and imprisoned for it. “Without our children. We get to have sex, and we haven’t. I think I am seriously going to die.”
    That small hand stroked my cheek, then over my jaw, her tiny thumb resting on my lips. “You mean it?” she repeated.
    “What the hell are you talking about, do I mean it? Yes, I mean it. I am actually going to explode, Jane. And not in the fun way that I want to. But like a Gremlin in sunlight.”
    Her eyes went full baby seal, staring at me pathetically. “You mean you still want me?”
    “What?” I asked, feeling like I just heard a record screech. “What are you talking about?”
    “I did just have twins.” Her hands closed protectively over her belly. I pulled them away, kissing her wrists and resisting the urge to tell her she was out of her fucking mind for thinking I could ever, even for a split second, not find her attractive.
    “I want you all the time,” I said instead. “And now I want you even more, which I didn’t think could be possible.”
    “Really?” she asked, those black eyes shining wetly.
    “Really.” I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Can we bone it out now?”
    She shook her head, blinking back her tears and laughing. “No, not yet, but that does give me an idea.”
    I raised an eyebrow at her.
    “Pretty soon you’re mine,” she said. “Because we’re going to solve this case right now.”
    I raised my eyebrows at her and she stood, holding out her hand.
    “C’mon, puppy. It’s time to go full Poirot on them.”
     
     
    An hour later, all the parties were assembled in the cozy lounge area, settled on the two sofas and comfy chair that boxed in the fireplace set at one end of the room.
    Edeet! sat in the comfy chair directly across from the fireplace, while Timmy sat by himself in the center of one of the sofas, taking up enough room for three people. Kitsy and Aisha perched on the other sofa. Jane and I stood on either side of the fireplace.
    “What is this about, exactly?” Kitsy said, looking between the two of us curiously.
    Jane straightened her spine, gazing at each person in turn before speaking. “It’s about Jack…and who murdered him.”
    Aisha made a strangled noise and Kitsy glared at her, while Edeet!’s eyes went round as saucers. Timmy still sat, slack-jawed, a thin line of spittle running down his chin.
    “No one murdered him!” Edeet! sputtered, her face growing red. “He had a heart attack! It is what the police said!”
    “Yes,” drawled Jane. “But who says his heart attack wasn’t on purpose?”
    “That’s absurd,” said Kitsy, sitting with the rigid posture of an ice queen. Or a Bostonian. “Jack died of natural causes.”
    “And then walked his corpse up to our bedroom?” I asked, causing everyone to look away, including Timmy.
    “Look,” Jane said. “Maybe his death was an accident. But it was pretty startling to find him in my bed like that. I just want to know the truth, that’s all.”
    “I have no idea how he got there,” Edeet! said, still looking flustered.
    “Nor do we,” Kitsy said, indicating Aisha. Jane glanced at me, noticing the “we” as well. Why was Kitsy speaking for the girl?
    “Well, then maybe you can clear up some other stuff,” Jane said.
    “Like what?” Aisha said. “This is bullshit. I don’t have to listen to this.” The girl stood, but before she could stomp off, Jane dropped her first bomb.
    “One question we have is why you had a rose petal, like the ones in our room the night Jack was found there, stuck to your shoe.”
    Everyone looked at Aisha, who shook her head. “Nuh-uh. That means nothing. I had to clean the room after they took away the…the body. Plus there were rose petals all over that