Free Mourning Moon (A Guinan Jones Paranormal Mystery #2) by Callista Foley Page A

poked his head into the room. "We'll talk to you later, Sully." He took my hand and pulled me behind him. I didn't resist. Part of me didn't want to listen to the sullen and resentful girl.
    " Desmond almost killed Embry," Sinder blurted out.
    Luke stopped in his tracks and cursed under his breath.
    I turned around. "What?"
    "She makes it sound worse than it was," Luke said.
    I was stunned that I'd never heard this before, as information like that tended to get around. "When was this?"
    " About three years ago," Sinder said. Embry appeared in the doorway, and she startled.
    He watched her, his expression unreadable. "That was an accident, as you well know."
    She gave a humorous laugh. "You didn't think so at the time."
    The suspense was killing me. "Would someone please—"
    "What Drake did was stupid," Luke said. "He was kidding around. There was this...we were..." He trailed off.
    Sinder sighed impatiently. "They were at Desmond's house. He'd invited Embry over, told him he wanted to be friends. He started waving around his father's gun. Then he pointed it at Embry. It went off."
    Embry kept his eyes on Sinder, his jaw tightening.
    "And what happened?"
    "Sully ducked," Luke said. "Drake didn't know it was loaded. He was extremely sorry. He was n't trying to kill Sully."
    "You were there?" I asked him.
    He nodded.
    "Desmond was extremely sorry," Sinder said. "He talked to me about. Even after all this time, he felt really bad."
    I looked at Luke. "Did he get in trouble?"
    Luke glanced at Embry. "We didn't tell his father. We kept it between us. Embry didn't get hurt. That was the end of it."
    Was it? I looked at Embry. "You told me he picked on you until your sophomore year. So Desmond almost shot you when you were thirteen, says he's sorry, yet continues to bully you, knowing you could make trouble for him?"
    I thought Embry was looking at me, but he was looking over my head at Luke, as if waiting for him to respond.
    "Drake had some issues," Luke said.
    "Embry," I said, bracing myself for his reaction, "you have to tell the police about this."
    His eyes grew wide. "Why the hell would I do that?"
    "Motive," Luke said. "That's what she's thinking. Right, Jones? Embry bided his time, suppressed his rage, then snuffed Drake out with peanuts."
    My cheeks grew hot. Even Sinder, who s tarted this, stared at me. "No," I said, "but the police..." I faltered. How could I say it out loud? Motive was exactly what I was thinking.
    "We ne ed to get to the cemetery," Luke said. "Jones, you coming?"
    "Of course," I said, walking toward him.
    "Desmond was in love with her," Sinder blurted out again.
    Luke swore.
    "Everybody knew it," Sinder called from down the hall.
    I looked back. Ione had emerged from the room. Some color had returned to her face.
    " Desmond wasn't in love with me."
    " Before he died," Sinder said, her gaze fixed on me, "Desmond told me he was going to clean up the mess he'd made and take back what was his." She swept by us and disappeared into the sanctuary.
    Embry sighed heavily and leaned against the wall. "I'm going to take Ione home. If that's okay with you, Luke?"
    Luke poked me in the ribs. "Ask them."
    I gave him a quizzical look, then remembered the dead flower and the note. Really bad timing to bring up a sick prank. Part of me didn't want to know either way. I ignored my racing heart, wiped my hands on my skirt, and asked the question.
    Ione folded her arms tightly around her chest. Embry said, "I'm not going to dignify that with an answer. I mean, really, Guinan. You think one of us would taunt you like that?"
    "Thanks for dignifying that with an answer, Sully. Hamilton?"
    Ione bristled and turned to leave. Embry followed.
    "Let's just go," I said. We walked in silence to his car. The tone of Embry's remarks to Luke triggered something in my brain. I'd been under the impression since I arrived at Thomas Grier that they were good friends. Embry even offered to pick up Luke and his girlfriend to go out, now