"I can't tell you. Not without talking to the person first."
I felt the explosion before it actually happened.
"Are you shitting me? You tell me you know the answer to solve all my problems and then say you can't actually tell me. Does this look like a joke?" She pointed down to her body and then over to the room where her sister lay bruised and battered.
"Believe me, I don't find a single thing about this funny," I grated out between my teeth.
"You could've fooled me." The hostility pouring off Vanessa was a physical presence that wrapped around the both of us.
"I'm not saying I won't help you. I just need to make a call first."
"The person has been butting into everyone else's lives for God only knows how long. Do you really think that person deserves the respect of a heads-up."
I understood where she was coming from; I truly did, but that didn't change the fact that I’d made a promise, and I fully planned on keeping it. Especially when how I found out wasn't because the person had approached me and willingly provided the information. My computer skills had been the reason, and I felt guilty enough about learning the identity that I approached the person and confronted them.
"Yes, I do."
Clearly that wasn't the answer she was looking for. With a huff, Vanessa turned on her heel and marched straight back into her sister's hospital room.
I watched her go and wished for just a second that my conscience was more like Maverick's. He wouldn't have given it a second thought to tell Vanessa what she wanted to know because he too would agree with her reasoning.
Knowing there was nothing else for me to do, I took my phone out of my pocket and called a number that I was becoming too familiar with.
"What on earth has you calling me this early in the day?"
It was after lunchtime, but considering I only ever called this number at night, I could understand why they were confused.
"I need to discuss something with you."
"That sounds ominous.”
"It is, but before I ask you this, I need to give you a little backstory."
"Hit me with it." I smiled at the response because it was typical for this person. If there was anything I had learned from my time in Willow Creek, it was that B. Feather wasn't the nosy person everyone made them out to be but a true journalist who wanted to report on things in the town.
I went on to explain Vanessa's situation or at least as much about it as I knew. I expounded about Hannah and all that was going on. By the time I was done, I was pleasantly surprised that B. Feather hadn't already known some of the background.
"So what you're telling me is that Vanessa needs to know my identity in order to get out of her sister's mess?"
I hadn't even asked the favor, but like the smart person they were, they immediately picked up on it.
"Yeah, pretty much."
B. Feather blew out a long breath. "Well, I always knew this day would come. I just wished it had taken a bit longer."
"Does that mean you're okay with it?" I didn't want to get my hopes up because it was a big ask. I would essentially be putting a huge target on their back. Most people in town probably wouldn't care, but there was a reason this Joel wanted the information, and I had a feeling it wasn't good.
"If it's going to help Vanessa and her sister, then sure, why not. If it blows up in my face, well then, it is what it is."
"Thank you!" I said with a huge sigh of relief. "I promise I'll make sure I do everything I can to protect you from any backlash."
B. Feather laughed. "Oh don't worry. I already have someone protecting me."
I had no idea what that meant, but I didn't have the time to dive into it further. I had good news to tell Vanessa.
We said our goodbyes before hanging up. When I turned around to walk back into the hospital room, I came to an abrupt halt when I saw Vanessa standing at the door waiting for me.
"You were eavesdropping." It wasn't a question. There was no other reason for her to be standing there.
