“Vera, sweetie,” he whispered.
I snorted and rolled my eyes.
“This is yours.” She thrust the bag into his arms. “All the books you gave me. And your sweatshirt.”
He stared down at the bag, his chin quivering. I wanted to tell him to cut the theatrics but remained calm. I folded my arms and he glanced at me, then quickly looked to Vera.
“I’m glad you came over. I was thinking of you,” he said. “Can you please come inside? I’d like to talk with you in private. I tried calling you.”
“Only if my sister can join us.” Vera’s nostrils twitched.
His mouth formed a hard line for a split second, then he nodded and stepped aside.
“Let’s go into the living room. I don’t want to disturb my parents. They’re out by the pool. They’re not happy with me now so it’s best that I don’t introduce you today.” We followed Tyler through the mazelike historic home. I’d have been impressed by all the antiques and art if it weren’t for the fact that the place was tied to him.
The fact that he hadn’t introduced Vera to his folks made me irrationally angry. I shook my head and sighed.
Once in the living room, Tyler set the bag in a corner then turned to us. “Can I get you some coffee? A drink? Iced tea? My mom just made a pitcher and it’s really good. I have no idea what she does, but it’s delicious.”
“Iced tea would be wonderful, thanks,” Vera said.
“Nothing for me,” I replied in a sour tone. Why were we hanging around?
Nodding, he walked out of the room. I turned to Vera. “You were seriously considering a future with a man who is baffled by an iced tea recipe?”
“I don’t want you to say a word while we’re here,” Vera said.
“OK.” This was her mess. I was here only to lend emotional support.
We sat in uncomfortable silence, with her sitting in a leather wing chair, checking her phone. I remained standing and studied a portrait above a stone fireplace. It depicted a bucolic scene of the Everglades at dawn, which raised my annoyance level to new heights, since Tyler’s developer father never met a swamp he didn’t want to pave over.
My thoughts turned to the Covington property and Gator Heaven, and by the time Tyler came back in, I was good and worked up in my mind.
He handed Vera a tall glass of tea. It appeared that he’d washed his face, since his hair and the collar of his shirt were wet. He also smelled as though he’d doused himself in cologne, and the odor of frat party mixed with dashed dreams filled the air as he sank onto the end of the sofa.
I took a seat on the edge of an ottoman and my eyes ping-ponged from Tyler to Vera.
“I’m sorry,” he started, and I had to stop myself from laughing.
Vera, against all odds, maintained a stone-cold expression. “Did you kill Gene?”
Even I was floored by her blunt question. Leaning forward, my eyes bulged in disbelief.
Tyler buried his face in his hands. “No,” he whimpered. “I didn’t do it. I swear.”
He lifted his head to meet Vera’s gaze. Part of me almost felt sorry for the guy, with his flushed cheeks, teary eyes, and swollen lips. Then I remembered the time he stuck maxi pads to the outside of my high school locker, and any trace of sympathy evaporated.
“But you’re somehow tangled up in his death.” She crossed her arms and fixed him with a steely stare. I suspected she used that same look on rowdy kids at the library.
“Yeah, and I’m sorry for dragging you into this. The whole plan wasn’t supposed to end like this, but Gene—”
“Hold on,” I interjected. “You purposely involved my sister without telling her?”
Finally, Tyler glanced at me sheepishly. “It’s a long story. I’ve been thinking about telling you.”
“Oh, a thought crossed your mind? Must’ve been a lonely journey.” I crossed my arms. I wasn’t leaving here until Tyler explained himself. He owed Vera that much, at the least. Prick. “We’ve got all night.”
“We sure do,” Vera chimed in. “What the fluff, Tyler?”