Free Aquamarine by Catherine Mulvany

think Beelzebub got locked inside”—Kirsten’s room, Shea almost said but caught herself in time—“my room.”
    Glory’s chagrin was painful to see. “He must have sneaked in behind my back when I was washing windows.”
    Another tremendous thump shook the door. Beelzebub howled like a tormented lost soul.
    Kevin frowned. “I don’t get it. You’re back, Kirsten. So why’s your room still locked?”
    “Been locked for seven years. Mr. Jack’s orders. Mama says until he tells us otherwise …” Glory stared at the floor.
    The dog howled.
    “Jeez, poor old Bub sounds like he’s in pain. Which he will be, if we don’t get him out of there before Ruth comes up to check out the racket. Where’s the key?”
    Glory dug a key ring from her pocket and passed it to Kevin. “I’m sorry,” she said. “This is all my fault.” She sounded as if she was on the verge of tears.
    Kevin patted her shoulder. “Don’t sweat it, Glo. It’s not that big a deal.”
    “No, but you know what Mama’s like.”
    “Yeah, unfortunately, I do.” He opened the door, releasing the frantic dog, who headed toward the stairs attop speed, spinning his wheels on the slippery wooden floor.
    “W-wait!” Glory stammered as he started to close the door. “Bub likes to hide under Miss Kirsten’s bed.”
    “Gotcha.” Kevin nodded. “And you’re afraid he left one of his treasures behind.”
    “It’s the thing Mama hates most about him. He left a dead bird under the dining-room table yesterday.” She shuddered. “Before you lock up, let me check for hidden treasure.”
    “Go for it.” He stood aside.
    Glory scuttled around him, knelt by the bed, and peeked beneath the bedskirt. “Ugh!” She backed away with a shudder.
    “What?” Kevin demanded.
    “Dead snake?” Shea guessed, gauging the degree of the girl’s revulsion.
    “No.” Glory shuddered again. “It’s a b-bone. A b-big bone.”
    Kevin gave her arm a squeeze. “I’ll dispose of it if you lock up.” He flipped Glory the keys. “Bones don’t bother me.” He retrieved the macabre object and took off toward the stairs, moving almost as quickly as the dog had.
    Glory stared after him.
    “There’s one mystery solved,” Shea said.
    “Mystery?” Glory asked.
    “The noise. You know, you almost had me convinced I was imagining it.” Shea picked up her stack of photo albums, straightening just in time to catch an unguarded expression on Glory’s face. The girl looked uneasy, almost scared. And no wonder, the way her mother overreacted to every minor peccadillo. “It was an accident,the dog getting locked in that way,” Shea reassured her. “Could have happened to anyone. I won’t tell your mother, and I know Kevin won’t, either.”
    Shea had been holed up in the family room looking through photos for over two hours when Kevin strolled in. “Having fun?” he asked. His grin was infectious.
    Shea grinned back. “A thrill a minute.”
    He flopped down on the sofa, kicking a couple of needlepoint pillows aside to accommodate his feet.
    “You’re going to get the furniture dirty.” The treads of his size-thirteen running shoes were full of mud.
    “That’s why we pay Ruth an exorbitant salary.” He leaned back against the sofa cushions, lacing his hands behind his head. A slight smile curved his mouth as he studied her. “Tell me, when are you planning to move back in with Teague?”
    She arched an eyebrow and gazed at him in silence for a full ten-count. “Why? Do you have money riding on it?”
    Surprise flickered across his face, followed by reluctant admiration. “As a matter of fact, I do. They’re placing bets down at the club. Almost three thousand bucks in the pot. Can’t blame me for trying to get some inside info, can you?”
    “If I were you, I’d save my money. No guarantees Teague and I will ever get back together.”
    He looked up with a devilish grin. “Don’t give me that. I saw the way he looks at you.”
    How
does
he look