René had set up another buffet and Emmett was busy refilling serving platters. The knitters seemed subdued and were not chatting as animatedly as they had at other mealtimes. Finding a murder weapon among their things must have put a damper on their spirits. I spotted Dad and Seth across the room and headed in their direction after filling my plate with beet salad, risotto, and grilled salmon. I sat between them, feeling cowardly. I was still unsure of just how mad I felt about Mac snooping around behind my back. And Vi’s comment that he thought I would leave Crystal Haven bothered me. We hadn’t really talked much about the future—our future—but I thought he knew I planned to stay. And to give us a chance. I wasn’t ready to talk to him just yet and didn’t want to give him an opportunity to engage me in conversation. I planned to use my human buffers to keep him at a distance. I glanced at Seth, who had nodded at me in between bites when I sat down.
