04 Lowcountry Bordello Read Online Free PDF

left the house to him. He was mad as fire that it was coming to me. Anyway, Aunt Dean and I have been trying to come up with a plan. She knows he’s a problem, but he is family after all, and she depends on him for a great many things.”
    “That’s one way to put it,” said Colleen. “Get her to elaborate on what all Seth does around the house.”
    “Exactly where does he hang in the family tree?” I asked.
    “Granddaddy Beauthorpe’s oldest sister, Frances, had a daughter. She got pregnant as a teenager. It was quite the scandal. She never married and she died in childbirth. Aunt Frances and Uncle John raised Seth. He was always in trouble. Mamma never let me have much to do with him and that was fine by me. Aunt Mary and Aunt Dean felt like he just needed more love and attention. He spent a lot of time with them, helped out. Eventually he moved into the guesthouse and went to work for them full-time.”
    “And exactly what are his duties?” I asked.
    “I told you. He’s the handyman. He fixes things and runs errands. What do handymen normally do?”
    Colleen shook her head. I took that to mean there was more to the story.
    “And tonight?” Nate asked.
    “Aunt Dean called me this morning. She wanted to talk, but not on the phone. When I got there, she told me about an idea she had to enlist the aid of some of the gentlemen who pay for rooms for their ‘nieces.’ She figured they could take care of Seth. They’d have a vested interest.”
    Nate’s voice was casual. “In what sense do you suppose she meant they could ‘take care’ of Seth? Do you think she planned to have him evicted?”
    “We didn’t get into details,” Olivia said. “Aunt Dean is often vague about unpleasantries.”
    Colleen snorted.
    I ignored her. “So, Olivia, tell us exactly what happened from the time you parked your car in front of the house until I arrived.”
    She sipped her bourbon, drew a ragged breath. “I got there at seven and let myself in. The entire downstairs was dark. I didn’t turn on any lights. I didn’t want to see anyone, and I didn’t want anyone to see me. I went straight upstairs to Aunt Dean’s room. It has a sitting area. That’s where she asked me to come. We talked for a while, thirty minutes or so. Then I told her goodnight and came back downstairs.
    “The light was on in the front parlor.” Her voice grew louder, anxious. She looked at Robert. “I swear on our children there was a body, facedown on the floor.” She went to sobbing again. “I thought it was you .”
    “What in the world would I be doing there?” Robert asked. Something in his voice caught my attention.
    “I don’t know. I guess I thought maybe you followed me. Because it looked like you. I mean, I couldn’t see his face. But his hair, his build…and he was wearing khakis and a checked button-down shirt, just like you are right this very minute.”
    I pondered that for a few seconds. Khakis and button-down shirts were common attire for men in our part of the world. Still. “Robert, just so we have all the facts, you haven’t left the house this evening, is that right?”
    “Well, yes. I mean, no…I did go out for a while. I had a dinner meeting with a client over in Charleston. Had to get a babysitter for a couple hours since Olivia wasn’t home.”
    My BS alarm went off. “Robert, we can’t help you if you are less than forthcoming. You of all people should know what it’s like to have a client hold things back.”
    He heaved a deep sigh. “Dammit to hell. You wouldn’t follow her. After you left my office, I arranged for a babysitter, then I tailed Olivia myself when she went out. Fortunately the ferry had a full load on the six o’clock trip. I was afraid she’d see my car. When she parked in front of that house, I pulled to the curb half a block away. I sat outside for fifteen minutes after she went in. Then I followed her. She’d left the doors unlocked. But I didn’t see a soul. I couldn’t find