“I figure they had to be working you hard in order to make you forget how much I enjoy having everyone over to the house for a party,” Andrew explained. Then he got down to the crux of the matter. “Since when do you feel the need to tiptoe around asking me to have a family party? This is me, boy. I neither need nor want an excuse. Just a simple ‘go-ahead’ is more than sufficient.
“Now, is there a specific reason we’re having this gathering, or is it just because you suddenly have an overwhelming craving for one of my dishes?”
There was no conceit involved in the question, just genuine curiosity.
“Nikki’s twin sister is being stalked,” Morgan began, then stopped. “I know you already know that.”
Rather than confirm the assumption or remind him about what he had just said earlier, Andrew merely told his nephew, “Go on.”
“I thought it might make Krys feel less alone right now if she met some more of the family and felt their support. And since you put on the best spread in town, I thought that might just be an added bonus for her.”
“Not that I needed an excuse,” Andrew told his nephew, “but it’s always nice to know the reason behind why something is being requested. So, any particular time you’d like me to throw this little shindig?” he asked.
He felt that he had already made enough requests of his uncle. “Whatever works for you, Uncle Andrew, is fine.”
“All right then, we’ll make it the same time as always. Any time after eleven in the morning,” Andrew told him. “So, anything else?”
“Yes. How do you do it, Uncle Andrew?” Morgan asked the man, curious.
“How do I do what?” Andrew asked.
“Feed the masses the way you do. There always seems to be enough food put out to feed everyone no matter how many of us show up and how many servings we take.”
“Number one, I like to cook and number two, everyone always chips in whatever amount they can whenever they can. They do it out of courtesy. Otherwise—” Andrew laughed “—I would have had to sell the house a long time ago.” Morgan could have sworn he heard the grin in his uncle’s voice. “You people do tend to eat like piranhas.”
“Sell the house, eh?” Morgan repeated. “Ever consider not putting out such a huge spread anymore?” he questioned.
“Nope, never once,” Andrew answered. “I enjoy cooking, enjoy feeding my family and really enjoy their company. As far as I’m concerned, for me this is a win-win situation,” Andrew admitted. “So, this Sunday all right with you?”
“This Sunday is perfect for me,” Morgan said with enthusiasm. “Thanks for doing this, Uncle Andrew.”
“Thanks for asking me to do it,” Andrew responded. “Nothing I like better than having an excuse to get everyone together.”
Morgan thought of something. “You planning on throwing another one of these parties when Nik and Finn get back?”
Tickled, Andrew laughed heartily. “You’d better believe I am,” he told Morgan. And then he paused for a moment as he listened to a melodic voice calling him in the background. “That sounds like my better half calling me. I’d better go—unless there’s something else you need to tell me.”
“No, that’s it for now, sir. As long as you tell me if you need anything from me for this thing,” Morgan thought to add.
“I will,” Andrew promised. “All right, then,” he said, “Sunday.” Just before he hung up, Andrew told his nephew, “Keep her safe, Morgan.”
“I am doing my best,” Morgan told him.
“Can’t ask for more than that,” Andrew said as he ended the call.
You can if your best isn’t good enough, Morgan thought for no apparent reason, putting his cell phone back in his pocket.
They were making progress. They had a name, and presumably a body to go along with that name, for the man who had been known as Bluebeard. But that still didn’t help them find whoever had attempted to kill Krys not once but twice.
“Who were you just talking to?” Krys asked, suddenly walking into the living room. Her appearance caught Morgan off guard. After all, she’d been sound asleep a few minutes ago.
Surprised, Morgan asked, “What are you doing up?”
“The question is,” Krys corrected him, “what was I doing down in the first place? I woke up to find myself in bed. The last thing I remember, I was sitting at my desk, working on the latest installment of my article about Weatherly’s so-called miracle drug. I’m planning on dedicating it to Claire,” she told him as an aside. “Now, how did I get into bed?” she asked.
He grinned. “Well, you fell asleep. I tried to wake you up. When you didn’t, I carried you to bed.”
Her mouth fell open. “You did not,” she argued.
“Sure I did,” Morgan insisted. “You found yourself in bed, didn’t you?” he pointed out.
“No, I mean you didn’t try to wake me up,” she told him.
“You’re just a hardier sleeper than you think you are,” Morgan told her. Krys went on staring at him. “Okay, okay, I said your name but I didn’t really try to wake you up. The way I saw it, if you actually wound up falling asleep, you were too exhausted to be staying up. Any work you did would have to be redone.” He could see he hadn’t convinced her. “What’s the harm in letting you sleep? It’s not like you were goofing off. You put in more than a full day and headway was made today. Things were discovered.”
“I still have to get this article done,” she pointed out. “The time to get this in is running out.”
“You put too much pressure on yourself,” Morgan insisted. “You can’t do your best work if you’re tired,” he told her.
“Said the man who doesn’t sleep.”
“I sleep,” he told her. “I just ration it out and do it during lulls.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it,” she told Morgan.
“Well, since you’re up,” he said,
