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questions about your husband’s death.”
    Glory lifted her thin shoulders. “What unanswered questions? I believe Canton took his own life. He wouldn’t have gone out to the pool with any other intention.”
    Madam Petrova’s nonchalant attitude was a little disturbing. For someone who’d just lost her husband a short time ago, she didn’t seem at all distraught.
    “You are probably right, but it never hurts to be thorough,” I said, painting on my own smile.
    If there was any foul play involved in old Canton’s murder, I didn’t want to alarm anyone of my suspicions, including his unconcerned widow.
    “I suppose that’s why we pay taxes,” she nodded.
    “So, you’re sure it wasn’t an accident?” I asked.
    Glory nodded. “Canton had a sun allergy, as do many in the family. I can’t imagine he would have gone out at that time of day with any other intention.”
    “Do you mind if I record our interview?” I asked, pulling out my mobile phone. An actual digital recorder was a little beyond my budget.
    “Not at all,” she said with a wave of her hand.
    Pushing the record button, I asked, “Who found Mr. Petrova and at what time of day?”
    “That would have been Tristan, my oldest son. It was around lunch. Tristan had just returned from a business trip,” Glory explained. “When he couldn’t find his father in his rooms, he started searching the house.”
    “According to the police report, Mr. Petrova was fully clothed. Is that correct?” I asked.
    Glory nodded. “He wasn’t dressed for a social event by any means, but he was wearing his pajamas and robe.”
    “If he actually did commit suicide, how would he have managed to get out of the chair and into the water?” I asked.
    Before Glory could answer, I heard a male voice from behind.
    “It wouldn’t have been too difficult. My father could move around some, but it was difficult for him.”
    Spinning on my heels, I came face to face with Tristan, the new patriarch of the Petrova family.
    The last time I’d seen Tristan it had been from a distance and that was years ago. It was when his father was campaigning for mayor. Tristan had stood by his father during one of his campaign rallies. Of course, Canton hadn’t won. No one in Shadow Crossing would trust a public office as important as mayor to one of the heads of the founding families.
    He was still just as hot and hunky as he’d been back then. His black suit fit his muscular body so well; it had to have been tailor-made. There was no doubt Tristan resembled his mother. He had her dark hair and dark eyes.
    And at that moment, those dark eyes were laughing at me.
    “Do you believe he killed himself?” I asked, putting on my most professional face.
    “What I believe doesn’t matter. It’s what the police believe, right?”
    Damn! For just losing a family member, the Petrovas sure seemed nonchalant enough.
    I was beginning to suspect murder, and an inside job at that.
     
     

Chapter Five
     
    I was relieved to be back in Dad’s car, although now the Lexus was a fiery oven.
    Rolling down the windows, I blasted the air conditioner. I’d intended to listen to the recorded interview so that I could evaluate the tone of their voices and reactions, but that wasn’t to be.
    Just before I hit the playback on my phone, it rang and my cousin, Pax’s mug flashed onto the screen.
    “Hello,” I answered.
    “Are you busy?”
    “A little. Why?”
    “Holly thinks she has a demon haunting her bookstore. She nearly blew the place up trying to perform some kind of exorcism. She wants us to get rid of it,” Pax explained.
    Now he had my full attention. “A demon? That’s not too likely”
    “That’s what I told her, but she’s convinced. You know how stubborn Holly can be. I’m afraid that if we don’t help her, she might actually try burning down her own bookstore, which means she’ll burn down the entire town square.”
    I was very familiar with how stubborn my cousin could be. Once