Cold Pursuit - Carla Neggers [33]
A.J. came out onto the terrace from the French doors that led into the lodge’s main dining room. His hair was a shade darker than Elijah’s, and he was a little shorter—but he had the Cameron blue eyes. They all did, including Rose.
“It’s been a long time, Jo,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “How are you?”
She was immediately suspicious. “Did Elijah tell you to stall me?”
He grinned at her. “You two. Nothing ever changes.” He nodded toward the doors. “Come inside.”
Jo didn’t budge. “What’s he up to, A.J.?”
“It’s cold out here, and I’m not wearing a coat. You’re used to Washington temperatures.” He motioned for her to go in ahead of him. “Let’s go inside and talk in front of the fire.”
Definitely he was stalling, but Jo acquiesced and went ahead of him into the dining room. It, too, was unoccupied. A.J. led her down the hall to the lobby, where, indeed, a fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace. The furnishings were sturdy, done in mountain colors—dark green, burgundy, brown. A huge stuffed moose—fake, not real—stood in a corner.
Jo welcomed the warmth of the fire, but she remained on her feet. She hadn’t run into A.J. since learning his father had left her the lakefront property. If he was bitter about his father’s will, he didn’t let it show as he reached for a black-iron poker. “I heard you were in town,” he said.
“I figured you had. That’s Elijah’s truck I’m parked next to, isn’t it?”
“You know it is.”
“He’s here, then.”
It wasn’t a question, but A.J. shrugged. “Looks that way.”
She recognized the flicker of stubbornness in his eyes. When Camerons didn’t want to talk, they didn’t. They were independent, tight-knit and honest, but that didn’t mean they played by the rules.
“Okay. So is he in here somewhere? Is he preparing another wilderness-skills class? Hiking? Teaching your little ones to light fires with their fingernails? What?”
A.J. seemed to realize she was being only half sarcastic. The other half was totally serious. He pulled back the screen on the fire. “You got yourself into a mess in Washington. I hope you’re not here looking for ways to restore your reputation.”
“I’m not worried about my reputation. Where’s Elijah?”
“You were always relentless, Jo. I actually liked that about you—”
“But it’s bugging you right now, isn’t it?”
He gave her a grudging smile. “It’s not helping. Elijah didn’t take to teaching, by the way. One class was enough for him.” The fire made A.J.’s eyes seem darker. “I heard about Alex Bruni. That’s a hard one, Jo. Lauren and I enjoyed having him here. We weren’t friends, but he loved being in Black Falls. I hate the thought that someone could have killed him.”
“I’m sorry, A.J.”
“I haven’t seen Nora Asher, if that’s why you’re here.”
“What about Devin Shay?”
A short pause. “He’s not here.”
“What does he do for you? Sweep floors and that sort of thing, or does he get out on the mountain, work on trails—what?”
“Maintenance.” A.J. obviously didn’t like being asked questions. Jo was undeterred. “As in digging holes and moving big rocks, or something he could turn into a career?”
“That’s between Devin and me.”
None of her business, in other words.
He lifted a burning log with his poker, the fire popping, re-kindled flames rising up. “You should relax, Jo.” He pulled the poker from the fire and set the screen back in place. “Sit here by the fire. Find a good book to read. Have you had lunch? There’s apple pie in the dining room. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. As you can see, we don’t have a crowd.”
The Whittakers had invited her to lunch, but she wasn’t hungry. She reined in her impatience, reminding herself that, for all intents and purposes, she was the outsider here. “What’s going on, A.J.?”
“Nothing that involves Ambassador Bruni’s death or concerns the Secret Service.”
“That you know of,” she said.
He didn’t respond. If any Cameron had reason to resent her, it was A.J., who was responsible for keeping the lodge competitive, an attractive option to visitors to Vermont. Direct access to the lake would help. She