"I was." Vanessa didn't bother to deny it. "I wanted to see if I could figure out who it was just by listening to your conversation."
"And did you?"
Vanessa shook her head. "I have to give you credit. You do a great job of keeping a secret when you need to.
"I try. Especially because it was my snooping that led me to the identity."
She bobbled her head. "I was going to ask you how you found out because no amount of research I did on my end got me the information I was looking for."
"It wasn't easy, but I just so happen to be exceptional at computers."
"So did they give you permission to tell me?"
I rolled my lips in between my teeth. It still felt weird to share this secret. "Before I tell you, I need you to make me a promise."
"Anything." Vanessa was quick to agree, but I wondered if that would change as soon as she knew what I was going to say.
"You need to let me help you with Joel. I understand you want to take care of your sister, but this is way out of your league and exactly what my team is used to dealing with."
Vanessa didn't answer immediately, and I assumed she was thinking over her options. I just hoped she made the right one.
"Okay," Vanessa sighed. "I'll let you help."
One side of my mouth tipped up in a smile. Thank goodness she agreed because otherwise I was going to have to go behind her back, and I really didn't want to do that.
"Now please can you tell me who it is? I'm dying over here."
I laughed at her exaggeration, but I was more than happy to put her out of her misery.
"B. Feather is Jo, Josephine, Bee's granddaughter."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Vanessa
Holy shit! How did I not see that?
"Are you kidding me?"
Nolen shook his head. "Nope, not kidding you. That's who I just got off the phone with, and it's very much she who writes for the newspaper and has the town blog."
"But, but…" I was at a loss for words, and that rarely happened. "Does Bee know?"
I couldn't fathom that she did because from the little I had seen since moving here, Bee couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it.
"She doesn't. She also doesn't realize she's the biggest source of information for her granddaughter as well as working at the diner."
That part, of course, made sense. Everyone in town went to the Crazy Fox Diner because it was the only food establishment in town. And because of that, it was where people gossiped the most.
People liked to say that a hairdresser knew everything, but it was nothing compared to what was spoken about while eating.
"How has she managed to keep the secret for so long?"
This wasn't just about my sister anymore. I was genuinely interested in the logistics behind keeping such a monumental secret. Especially in a town known for their gossip.
"Because no one besides she and I knew about it. Not even her editor knew who she was. The articles were sent in through email. Jo never needed to step foot in the press building for stuff to be published."
No wonder I was never able to see who the person was, because she never actually went into the newspaper office. It was a genius idea really.
