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Emma did as she was told and stood in the doorway, watching the confrontation between the three men. Even Travis seemed to grow aggravated with the newcomer, which made Emma worry things might escalate.
Just as she prepared to intervene, hoping to diffuse the tension before someone got arrested or a fight broke out, Wendy came running around the corner of the house, yelling at the trio.
"What's going on? Why are you guys picking on Joe? He's a friend of Nancy's and mine. He's staying here at my invitation!"
Upon hearing Wendy, all three men turned their attention toward her. Travis threw his hands up in the air, and Joe, with a broad smile and puffed-up chest, appeared to regain control of the situation. Disregarding both caution and Travis's instructions, Emma decided to get involved, her curiosity piqued by the unfolding drama.
As she moved closer, she couldn't help but notice Wendy's familiarity with Joe. Given Wendy's flirtatious behavior, she assumed there was something more. She wondered if the gardener, Nancy, was aware of the obvious relationship between the two.
Sean acknowledged Emma's arrival with a brief nod, though his eyes remained fixed on Joe Winders. Until proven otherwise, Joe would remain a suspect–but then again, so would the rest of them. Emma positioned herself next to Travis, observing the interactions between Wendy and Joe. Wendy, usually a snob, seemed comfortable around Joe, who exuded a bad-boy aura.
"I don't understand why you're interrogating Joe," Wendy protested, her temper beginning to flare. "Like I said, he's here at my invitation. He's a friend of Nancy's. Doesn't that count for something?"
Emma felt Travis tense up next to her. Sensing the escalating situation, Sean suggested they bring Wendy inside. "I just have a few questions for Mr. Winders," he said in a tone that suggested he would not entertain any further disruptions. Travis grabbed Wendy's arm and began to lead her back to the house. Emma followed, hiding an amused smile at his handling of his fiery cousin.
"This is ridiculous. Since when do we treat guests like this, Travis?" Wendy whined.
"Listen, Wendy, we have a murderer in our midst. Let the police do their job," Travis retorted.
Wendy pouted, opting to remain silent. Travis gave her a disgusted look before turning to Emma.
"It's good that you took a picture of what you found because there's no trace of it in the shed now."
"Do you think somebody came back and picked it up? Why? Did they suddenly realize they had dropped it, or did they leave it there on purpose?" Emma asked.
"Why would somebody be that stupid?" Wendy interjected with a sneer. But before Emma or Travis could respond, Marianne entered, requesting that they join her in her office for a meeting with the accountant.
Emma watched as Sophie whisked Dixie away before Marianne could protest. The cook gave Emma a reassuring thumbs-up, indicating that Dixie would be well taken care of while they met with Marianne and the accountant.
Feeling reassured about Dixie, Emma nodded to Travis and followed him out of the kitchen.
"Wendy, this is a private meeting. Why don't you try to help with the decorating?" Travis advised.
As Wendy began to follow them, Marianne stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Emma considered turning around to observe Wendy's reaction but decided against it. There was a clear conflict between Marianne and Wendy, and until Emma could understand each woman's role in the household, she decided it was best to remain silent and observant.
"Ignore the two of them. They're always bickering to assert their importance in my mother's eyes," Travis advised, noticing Emma's hesitation.
Emma responded with a faint smile but said nothing. The Anderson family dynamics were fraught with hidden undercurrents, and she didn't want to risk saying something inappropriate and becoming entangled in their conflicts. For now, her focus was on uncovering as much as she could, answering only when addressed directly by Marianne or Travis.
"If you think these two are a handful, wait until you meet Kevin. That's when the real power plays begin," Travis whispered in her ear with a chuckle, unfazed by the petty squabbles around him.
"That sounds delightful," Emma replied, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. At this, Travis laughed out loud.