“Goodnight,” I manage to whisper, my voice shaky, a smile on my lips.

His warmth lingers even after he steps away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the uneasy feeling that things are about to get much worse before they get better.

As he walks away, I close the door behind him, my fingers brushing my lips, and one thought lingers in my mind.

This isn’t just about solving a mystery anymore.

17

Theo

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills my kitchen as I lean against the counter, arms crossed, watching the dark liquid drip into the pot. Normally, the morning ritual is grounding—steady in the chaos. But today, it does nothing to quiet the noise in my head.

Last night’s meeting won’t stop replaying in my mind. Cyanide. Poison. The possibility that Bennett is Aubrey’s son. The pieces are all floating there, but they haven’t settled into a picture I can make sense of yet.

A knock at the door pulls me from my reverie. I glance at the clock—it’s barely past eight. Whoever it is, they’re starting the day earlier than I’d like. Too early for a casual visit.

I open the door to find my aunt Aubrey standing there. She’s wearing a flowing skirt with intricate patterns, the kind she’s always favored, paired with a simple black top. Her hair is pulled back in a loose braid, a colorful scarf woven through it. She looks the same as she always does—warm, put-together like she belongs in an old photograph of our family.

But for the first time, I wonder how much of that warmth is real.

“Aubrey,” I say, stepping aside. “This is a surprise.”

She smiles faintly as she steps inside, glancing around the room like she’s taking inventory of my life. “I didn’t want to call—I thought it might be better to talk in person.”

There’s a carefulness in the way she says it like she wants me to know she’s here for me but also needs to steer the conversation.

“Talk about what?” I ask, moving toward the kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Always,” she laughs softly, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “I wanted to talk about you, Teddy. You’ve been…busy recently. I just wanted to make sure you are okay, to check in.”

I pour her a cup and slide it across the counter. She picks it up, wrapping her hands around it for warmth, but she doesn’t drink right away. She never does. Aubrey lets her coffee cool first, always waiting until it’s just shy of lukewarm before taking the first sip.

“I’m fine. Just working on a few things.”

She hesitates, fingers tracing the rim of her mug before setting it down with deliberate care. Like she’s steadying herself. “Working on a few things… With that new boy in town? Bennett?”