Bound To Be Dead: Cozy Mystery Bookshop Series Book 3 Tamra Baumann (new books to read txt) 📖

Dylan and Dad both have a hand extended, so I grab one of each, and they pull me to my feet. “I’m fine. Let’s eat.”

We join Megan in the nook. As we fill our plates with fruit and eggs Benedict casserole, I ask, “Where’s Brittany?”

Megan’s mouth is full, so she lifts a finger. After she washes down her eggs with wine, she says, “Important phone call, apparently. So much so, she took it in the backyard.”

I smile. “That’s her go-to place to talk to Raphe lately. She spends hours out there.”

Dad says, “You used to do that with this one too.” He points his fork at Dylan. “Good reason to watch out for your new sister, Sawyer.”

I’m just about to defend Dylan when Brittany flies through the back door and slams it shut behind her. The glare in her eyes is one I’ve never seen before.

“You stink, Sawyer!” Brittany crosses her arms, fuming at me.

I set my fork down and fold my hands. Something I’ve learned to do to buy time when I don’t know how to be a parent. “Exactly why do I stink?”

“Oh, please.” Brittany rolls her eyes. “Don’t play that innocent game with me. You know what you and Gage have done. You both stink!”

My heart sinks. How could Brittany possibly know what Gage and I have been trying to protect her from?

Dylan clears his throat. “Brittany, have a seat. And then calmly tell Sawyer what you think she did.”

“No. She knows what she did.” Brittany’s eyes fill with tears. And hatred for me.

It shatters my heart into a million pieces.

My father, the only one who doesn’t have a clue what’s been going on, slides out of the nook. He wraps his arms around Brittany and says, “There’s nothing that can’t be fixed, sweetheart. What’s troubling you?”

Brittany cries, “Thanks to Sawyer, my mother now knows where I am, and she and her new rich boyfriend are taking me back. Whether I like it or not.” Brittany turns to me and hisses, “If you didn’t want me, you should’ve been a big enough person to just say so, rather than dig into my business without telling me. You coward!”

Brittany turns and runs through the swinging door.

I don’t understand. How could Brittany’s mother not know where she is? I thought Stella and my mother came to an agreement about Brittany.

A horrifying thought hits me right between the eyes. What if Brittany’s adoption was illegal?

Chapter 4

I toss my napkin aside and slide out of the nook. “This makes no sense.” I glance at Dylan and then Meg. “How could Stella not know Brittany would be living with Mom?”

My father clears his throat. “I might be able to help with that one.”

We all turn our heads, and I ask, “You know about this?”

“A bit.” Dad shoves his hands into his pockets. “Your mom promised Stella that Brittany would be shipped off to a prep school, not be forced to stay here in Sunset Cove, where Brittany was wasting her academic talents.”

“Brittany is a genius with computers. But why lie to Stella about that?”

Dad grimaces. “Brittany asked Zoe to lie. If Stella believed Brittany was tucked away at some boarding school, she couldn’t come back to freeload off Brittany the next time one of her mother’s relationships tanked.”

Dylan says, “Because Brittany was running her online scam to support them?”

Dad glances my way with panic-filled eyes, like he said too much in front of law enforcement. “Brittany had no choice. She had to eat. Besides, those men she tricked into sending her money were scum trying to take advantage of underaged girls.”

“I know.” I give my father a hug. “Brittany doesn’t do that anymore. Dylan knows that. I better go talk with her.”

Meg slides out of the nook. “I’ll come too. You might need someone who’s actually been a parent for more than a minute for backup.”

I should probably take offense. Unfortunately, I’m still learning how to balance being part sister, part parent.

The door to Brittany’s bedroom is ajar, so Cooper pushes it all the way open with his nose and leads the way.

Brittany tosses clothes into a backpack as tears stream down her face. She takes one look at me and croaks, “Go. Away.”

Meg crosses the room and lowers herself on the side of Brittany’s bed. “We’re not going anywhere. And neither are you.” Meg pats the bedspread beside her. “Sit!” My dog runs behind my legs in fear.

When Brittany instantly complies, I’m shocked. I can’t even get Cooper to sit that fast. I need to learn how to use that stern mom voice.

Meg takes both of Brittany’s hands. “Sawyer and Gage were just trying to protect you. As a result, they inadvertently disrespected you by treating you like a child. So Sawyer is going to apologize first.”

Both Meg and Brittany turn my way. I’m not sure how this became my fault, but I guess I’ll play along. “I’m sorry, Brittany.”

Meg nods sharply in approval. “Now, Brittany, you need to understand that none of us knew until a few minutes ago that you and Zoe had a deal to keep your location a secret. So you should apologize to Sawyer.”

“I thought you knew.” Brittany’s tear-filled gaze meets mine. “Sorry.” She quickly looks at her feet again.

“Thank you.” Huh. That went well. I’ll have to remember that technique. “But you also need to know Meg and I love having you as our sister. That will never change.”

“Never.” Meg wraps an arm around Brittany. “Let’s fix this. Okay?”

Brittany glances at her shoes. “My mom said she’d be here Wednesday. To take me back. And that she’s changed.”

Oh, I want so badly to say her mother, a person who left Brittany for weeks at a time to fend for herself and forced her kid to earn a living for them both, will never change. Instead, I say, “We’ll see what Gage and Dylan think about that.” Then a thought strikes me. “Unless you want to go live with your mom?”

Brittany