19

Back at the manor Lou spent a couple of hours being interviewed by the police and giving them all the original photos from the Dark Lake files. Relieved that was over, she went in search of Evan, finding him in a small, cosy living room. She flopped next to him and glanced at the TV. The local news was full of the accident at Dark Lake. She stilled Evan’s hand as he grabbed the remote. “Don’t change the channel. I want to watch it.”

Varian’s face filled the screen. “The remains of the church are in danger of collapsing and as such will be demolished, for safety reasons, first thing in the morning, with the permission of the police. AJ Wilcox lost his life here, it’s only fitting that no one else does. Destroying the church will ensure no one else dives here.”

“What about Dr. Fitzgerald?” the reporter asked.

“This whole area is a crime scene, so she won’t be diving again. However, she did hire both the boat and equipment. The police are conducting an official investigation into last night’s explosions and today’s tragic events.”

Lou leaned back in shock. “He’s trying to blame me? And destroy the church? That building is sound. I’ve been in it myself.”

Evan grasped her hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. “It’s called passing the buck.”

“He can’t blame me. I should have been on that boat with AJ or dropping the buoys instead of him. He told me I had no place in the water. He was right.”

“—worked with Dr. Fitzgerald?” the reporter continued.

“She’s been with me ten years now and has an impeccable record. She’s one of the best in her field. That’s all I have time for now. Any further statements will come from the police or from my press officer.”

Evan hit the off button on the remote. “Are you all right?”

“Fine.” She paused. In all the fuss, she’d forgotten about the box she’d retrieved from the crypt. “My car is still at the lake. Can you give me a lift over there? I have a meeting at seven o’clock this evening, and I left some important documents in the car.”

“Cancel it,” he said. “You’re in no fit state to do anything.”

“I can’t.” She wasn’t about to put Professor Cunningham off again. Otherwise, she might never get this job at the university.

“OK. Then I’ll take you.”

“That’s very kind, but I can’t ask that of you. Besides, I need those papers from my car anyway.”

“Then I’ll drive you to the car myself.”

“Thanks. I’ll grab my bag and coat.” She paused. “I need to be at the lake at first light.”

“You heard what he said. The whole area is a crime scene. The dive here is finished.”

She tilted her head. “I know Varian’s hiding something. That village was destroyed deliberately last night. Besides the church, all that is left now is a pile of rubble. I have proof. The only house that remained intact was wired with explosives that, for some reason, didn’t go off. I owe it to AJ to find out what’s going on.”

“Hey.” He caught hold of her and wrapped his arms around her. “Please take it easy. It’s been a very long, rough day.”

“I’m not hysterical.”

“I never said you were.” He brushed his lips against hers. “It wasn’t your fault, so don’t blame yourself.”

Lou looked up and once again drowned in his intense blue gaze. “OK. Can’t make any promises.”

He smiled and pressed his lips against her forehead. “I know. Let’s go and get your car.”

When they arrived at the dam, Lou frowned. Crime scene tape fluttered around where she’d parked. A police car along with a couple of white vans remained in the car park. Flood lights lit up the area along the edge of the water. Several white suited SOCO’s worked quietly. Varian’s car was parked in front of the office. “What’s he doing here?”

“I’ll go find out. You get to your meeting. You don’t want to be late.”

She nodded. On impulse she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “See you later.” She got out of the car and hurried over to hers. She unlocked it, making sure the box was still in the boot. She closed the boot and climbed into the front. AJ’s jacket was still tossed on the passenger seat where he’d left it. Tears burned and slowly tracked down her cheeks.

Lou closed her eyes. Her phone rang. She dragged it from her pocket and didn’t bother reading the screen as she answered. “D-Dr. F-Fitz-g-g-gerald.” Her voice wobbled, but she didn’t care.

“Lou?” Her stepfather’s voice was uncharacteristically concerned. “Dark Lake is all over the news here. They said an archaeologist died. Are you all right?”

“No,” she answered honestly, her voice still wavering. Jack was the one person she never hid her emotions from. He’d seen her at her worst several years ago, so hiding anything from him was pointless. She’d called him Dad since she was a teenager, but her head still referred to him as Jack. “AJ’s dead. It should have been me out there, not him.”

“I’m coming over on the next flight I can make.” His tone left no room for argument. Lou had learnt long ago that arguing with him was a waste of breath.

“Is Mum coming, too?”

“She wants to, but Emily has a ballet recital this weekend, and one of us ought to be here for it. I imagine Jim will be fighting tooth and nail to come with me, so I’ll leave first.”

Lou shook her head. “There’s no need…” She rubbed her eyes. “Emily needs you both there.” As much as she wanted her mother, her younger siblings ought to take priority. She’d always tried to take a backseat as far as that went, and most of the time it had worked.

This time, however, she desperately hoped they’d see through it.

“There is every need,” he said. “I’ll be there in two days. Sooner if I can hop on an Air Force flight.” He hung up before she could object.

Lou stared at the phone. It’d be good to see him, but how did she explain all this? And more to the point, how did she explain Evan? Somehow in less than a week, he’d gone from someone in her way, to an acquaintance, to the bloke putting her up in his house after saving her life to…what?

She wasn’t sure he fitted into the boyfriend category—yet. But she’d kissed him. More than once. And she had feelings for him.

How would she explain that one to her stepfather?

She sucked in a deep breath and tucked her phone into her bag. Time to go meet this professor and try to get herself a new job. That way she could resign without fear of unemployment before Varian fired her in the morning. Failing that, she’d just resign. Anything had to be better than this.