Read Online Fatal Hearts by Norah Wilson - Free Book Online

beside Hayden’s car, climbed out, and looked around. “Wow, do they have enough parking?”
    “They need it.” Hayden closed her car door. “According to Josh, Dr. Stratton expanded it after Senator Stratton fell ill. She keeps a fairly large staff coming and going. Maids and gardeners for the house, LPNs and personal care workers for her husband.”
    “And B&B customers, of course.”
    “Yes, B&B guests too. Josh tells me—” She broke off, biting her lip. “Josh told me that’s why she turned it into a bed-and-breakfast, to help defray the cost of keeping such a big staff. Although that probably points to a certain frugality, not a need to make ends meet.”
    “She doesn’t look like she’s hurting.”
    “She comes from old money, the kind that doesn’t get wiped out by a market crash. And even without the Proust money behind her, she still has a healthy medical practice, and the Senator would have a generous pension.”
    She turned toward him in the lighted parking lot, and he found himself catching his breath. The light cast a halo around her curly golden hair and plunged part of her face into shadow, but the part he could see . . . God, she was beautiful. No wonder Josh had been so hung up on her. If only she’d loved him back like he wanted, instead of loving him like a brother . . .
    He cleared his throat. “Will Dr. Stratton be around?”
    “I hope so,” she said. “I doubt we’ll get permission to check Josh’s room if she’s not here. And remember—”
    “I know. It might already be occupied by a new guest. I got it.”
    She led the way to the rear entrance, rang the bell, and stepped back. A moment later, an older woman dressed in black right down to her practical nonslip shoes, opened the door to them. Boyd recognized her as the housekeeper.
    “Dr. Walsh,” the woman said, her voice sounding younger and more melodious than her years. “Good to see you again. And who’s that with you?” The woman leaned to peer around Hayden, caught sight of Boyd, then stepped back, her hand going to her chest.
    “It’s okay, Mrs. Garner,” Hayden hastened to assure the distraught woman. “This is Josh’s brother, Boyd McBride.”
    “Oh, dear, of course!” she said. “I hadn’t thought to see you again after you cleared out Josh’s room, Mr. McBride. And seeing you with Dr. Walsh . . .”
    “I understand. Sorry to pop up like a ghost.”
    “I’m just helping him get a feel for Josh’s life here, and he’d really like to see Josh’s room,” Hayden said into the awkward silence. “Do you think that can be arranged? I mean, if it’s not rented again.”
    Mrs. Garner’s features softened in sympathy. “It hasn’t been rented. Come in, and I’ll see what I can do for you.” When they stepped inside the entryway, she said, “I’m going to have to ask you to wait here while I talk to Dr. Stratton.” Her tone was apologetic. “She has strict rules about these things.”
    “Thank you, Mrs. Garner,” Hayden said. “We’ll be happy to wait here.”
    When the old girl bustled off, Boyd turned to Hayden. “Strict rules?”
    “I think she’s worried someone will try to see the Senator,” she murmured, keeping her voice low. Even at that level, the acoustics of the vaulted ceilings made her voice echo around. “She’s very particular about visitation. Josh said no one gets in to see the Senator except Dr. Stratton, their son, Jordan, who’s an internist in Saint John, and the Senator’s caregivers.” She peered around to make sure no one was coming up the hall where Mrs. Garner had disappeared.
    “And you felt comfortable coming here?”
    Hayden shrugged. “Josh always met me at the door so I didn’t have to run the gauntlet alone. But we still managed to bump into her once in a while.” She gave an exaggerated shudder. Or at least he hoped it was exaggerated. The woman couldn’t be that much of an ogre. She’d been working the day he’d come by for Josh’s