The chuckle he responded with sounded dry and brittle. “Oh, they were. Over the years, there’s been a lot of political maneuvering for position from other prominent families in the area. It’s about time the Blacks established themselves again. It’s part of the reason I moved back here.”
Again, I found myself at a loss for words. “Wow. I didn’t think things like that happened in small towns.”
He held his hands up, then let them fall. “You’d be surprised. Sometimes local leaders hold more sway than state or national leaders. They have a more direct impact over the people in their sphere of influence.”
I frowned as a thought occurred to me. “I thought Maria said your last name was Merrick. How are you related to the Blacks?”
An odd flash of discomfort crossed Tim’s face, melting away as quickly as it had come.
“My mother wanted her children to take her name. The Blacks, like any other important family, have skeletons in their closet, which can cause bad first impressions. Let’s just say it was ah…easier to use the name Merrick.”
I blinked a few times, not sure I was following what he was saying.
“Um…is there anything else I can do for you?”
He shook his head, glancing down at his watch. “I should get going. I’m working from home today, and I’ve got a meeting in ten minutes. I’ll relay your message to Maria.”
With that, he strode briskly from the shop. A slow breath escaped me as I walked slowly to the back of the shop.
I wasn’t sure what to think about Tim. He’d seemed friendly enough, if a little obsessed with the Black Family’s position in town. It was far easier to talk to and relate to Maria.
Again, there had been mention of feuding between families in Woods Crossing, though. Tim made it sound like the majority of the fighting had to do with political posturing, but had there been more to it?
There must be. Politics could certainly divide people, but I didn’t quite believe that fighting over mayorship of a tiny town was the only reason for a decades long feud.
I’d heard of famous family feuds, like the whole Hatfield/McCoy thing in Kentucky, but I never thought I’d run into something like that in my own life. Who hated the Black family so much? Why had they worked so hard to get every last member of the Black family out of Woods Crossing?
I strained to remember the other names Theresa had mentioned. She’d talked about her own family. What had the sheriff said her last name was? Flower? Firthright? She had two surnames, just like me. She’d talked about my mother’s family, the Lightwoods, and another family whose name I couldn’t remember.
A soft snore distracted me from my thoughts. I looked over to see Jade sleeping on the countertop, her black and gray back rising and falling with her breaths. Again, I had to resist the urge to reach out and pet her.
She opened one eye, looking at me directly.
“Good morning,” I teased. Jade stood up, stretched her front legs in front of her and gave a massive yawn.
I see that guy finally left. Good riddance.
I frowned.
“He was a little intense, but I didn’t think he was that bad.”
Jade gave one of her kitty eye rolls and began licking her paw.
He thinks he can get the town back into his clutches. He doesn’t care about what really sets the Blacks apart from everyone else. It’s all about prestige for him.
I didn’t answer immediately since I was busy arranging candles by scent, but I gave a quick nod. “It certainly seemed that way. Do you think we’re related?”
She leapt down from the counter, then rubbed up against some of the display shelves.
It seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it? His last name is Black and his family came from Woods Crossing.
My expression grew thoughtful as I looked down at her.
“Jade, do you know much about this feud? Who hated the Black family?”
She looked up at me, a soft hiss sounding.
I wasn’t around for the beginning of the feud as I’d just been turned into a cat, but it had something to do with your grandmother’s friend, Chandra. There was a big fight years ago, and they parted ways.
I sighed. It looked like there might not be anyone who could tell me what was going on in this town.
“Did your turning into a cat have something to do with that fight?”
She watched me steadily for several minutes. Not even her tail moved.
Indirectly.
My lips twisted into a scowl.
“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re being awfully cryptic.”
I could have sworn she sighed. Leaping up onto the counter once more she turned, settled on her haunches, and looked at me. Her head was level with mine.
I crossed my arms, staring her down. “Why did they turn you into a cat, Jade? And what did that have to do with this fight?”
Jade began to lick her paw again. I wondered vaguely if it was some sort of nervous tic of hers as she did it a lot.
They turned me into a cat because I killed a man.
