Blood Moon: A Rowan Gant Investigation by M. R. Sellars Page A

her.
Granted, something like that certainly wasn’t the end of the world,
but it wasn’t exactly nothing either. However, Maggie had
apparently forgiven him since she had found out about it early on,
and they had still stayed together all these years. So, in that
sense, it was all water under the bridge. The real problem was that
his lapse of fidelity went far deeper than simple betrayal. The
child the union had produced was instantly given up for adoption
under pressure from the family. Again, not a truly big deal until
you considered the fact that she had eventually grown up to become
a twisted serial killer named Annalise Devereaux.
    While Shamus couldn’t necessarily be blamed
for her sociopathic tendencies, I would have thought such an
outcome would at least give him pause. Especially given that a
partial DNA match had prompted murder charges being brought against
his daughter with Maggie—namely, Felicity.
    But, it hadn’t. And, since he still tried to
twist everything that had happened to somehow be my fault, I was
firmly convinced I would never be able to understand his particular
level of arrogance.
    “Are you certain you’re okay, Rowan?” Maggie
finally asked.
    “What?”
    “I asked if you’re certain you are okay,” she
repeated. “You seem a bit disconnected.”
    I sighed. “I suppose I am. I have quite a bit
on my mind. Sorry.”
    “No need to apologize.”
    “Thanks.”
    “So here we are. I understand why you want to
avoid Shamus, but what about Felicity, then?” she asked, cocking
her head to the side and giving me an odd glance. “Are you keeping
secrets from her now?”
    Her question was honest and direct, so I
answered in kind, “Only when I don’t want her to worry.”
    “What is it you aren’t wanting her to worry
about?”
    My inability to broach the subject I had come
here to discuss was now moot. Thankfully, Maggie was providing the
opening, even if she didn’t realize it.
    I dug in my jacket pocket then extracted a
small jar that had originally held some herb or spice. At first
glance, the capped glass cylinder appeared to be filled with
nothing more that tiny white granules. However, I gave it several
rapid shakes, and the crystals shifted to reveal a delicate chain,
at the end of which was a pendant. I continued carefully tapping
the jar against the edge of the table until I had successfully
uncovered the small half coin ornament, bringing its face fully
into view.
    Holding the container at an angle, I showed
it to Maggie. “I need for you to tell me whatever you can about
this necklace.”
    My mother-in-law looked through the glass at
the piece of jewelry. Her face had bordered on being expressionless
as she leaned forward, but I caught a quick smile that was
immediately followed by a frown tugging hard at the corners of her
mouth. With a quiet sigh she sat back and looked up to my face then
shrugged while shaking her head as if there was nothing to
tell.
    “I’m used to seeing Felicity wear that. Does
she know you are carrying it about in a bottle?”
    “As a matter of fact, she does.”
    “What is in there with it?” she asked. “It
looks like salt…or maybe sugar.”
    “You were correct on the first guess.
Salt.”
    “Do you mind if I ask why?”
    “It’s complicated, but trust me, I have my
reasons.”
    She glanced back at the bottle for a moment
as if her eyes were drawn there, then looked up and stared over my
shoulder. “Honestly, I try not to think too much about that
necklace. Of course, that’s hard when I see it around my daughter’s
neck.”
    “Why?”
    “Like you, I have my reasons.”
    “I see. Felicity said you gave it to her,” I
offered.
    “Yes, years ago. When she was a
teenager.”
    “So, it’s a family heirloom then?”
    She finally brought her gaze back to meet
mine. “Yes and no. I’m sure that it was for someone,” she mused.
“But, not my family. Shamus gave it to me for my birthday a long
time ago.”
    I nodded. “So then it