“Please. It was the first thing I packed.”
As Lillie got up and poured hot water into a ceramic water bottle for their feet, Grace told her about seeing Oliver and the interaction with the strange man at the diner.
“Grace, this is frightening. You’ve rattled them,” Lillie said.
“I just want to shake things up so that the truth comes out.” She stretched her feet, pressing against the water bottle and letting its warmth spill onto her.
“Is it wrong that I feel relieved that man is dead?” she whispered into the dark.
Lillie hesitated. “I feel it, too,” she said. “Is it wrong that I want him to have been the one to kill Harriet? That would mean this nightmare could finally be over.”
“Will the police search his home?”
“Oliver’s lawyer says they already have.”
“Wait—” Grace said, turning over to clasp Lillie’s hands. “I know! They found your necklaces at the thief’s place, didn’t they? Is that the good news you were going to tell me?”
“No,” Lillie said. “They didn’t say anything about the necklaces being there.”
“Oh,” Grace echoed. She frowned. “What’s the good news, then?”
“Well, it’s a little bit of bad news followed by good news.”
And suddenly, by a twitch across Lillie’s lovely face, Grace knew.
“Walt,” she whispered. Her heart faltered.
“First, you need to know that he was in really bad shape, Grace. Got into a fight sometime after we saw him. He’s really banged up. But… he’s agreed to try getting some help.”
Grace shot up. “Where is he?”
“At a beautiful facility. The top hospital in St. Louis. There’s a trial program just beginning. Dr. May knows someone who works there and was able to pull some strings.”
“But… how did this happen? He just… decided?” Grace asked. She still remembered the way he had turned on her with such fury, the spittle on his lips when he had snarled at her. It had left wounds deeper than claws.
“Well. Sometimes you can run and run away from something until you run right into reality. And often reality can really hurt. Besides, there was a bit more of an incentive this time.”
“What happened?” Grace asked.
“The police were going to take him and book him for disturbing the peace, but after a bit of skillful negotiation”—Lillie cleared her throat—“Walt agreed to seek treatment if the police would drop the charges.”
“Skillful negotiation?” Grace knew how that worked. “So you helped strike a deal for Walt? A monetary deal?” Grace bit her lip. “That must have been considerable.”
Lillie looked flummoxed and waved it off.
Grace shook her head. “But, Lillie. My family can’t afford any of this.”
Lillie swallowed. “It’s taken care of,” she said softly.
Grace felt a sob rise in her throat. She choked it down. “Is this what you and your mother fought about?” she asked.
“That and other things,” Lillie said. “There were many to choose from.”
Grace let out a small laugh. “Thank you, thank you, my darling.” Grace hugged Lillie, the soft weight of her like a solid anchor, and Lillie hugged her back.
“I really can’t take much credit, Grace.”
“Can I see him?” Grace asked, wiping her eyes with the heels of her palms.
