I watched the car zoom out of the driveway. There was nothing covert about the ladies’ actions now. No more secrets. They came right for me. For the house. For the shadow in the window.
A rumbling sounded behind me. I turned in time to see the warped family portrait at the top of the stairs open. One of the secret passageways in the falling-down wreck of a house. Dad loved the drama of hidden hallways. I thought they were lame until I was about seven and figured out I could sneak in there and listen in on conversations in other rooms. A forbidden act, which was why I used to do it. My mom would yell and she’d scold my father for not paying attention. His way of watching me was to order me outside.
A figure emerged from the opening. Dressed all in black, including the baseball cap. He jogged down the stairs and stopped next to me.
Gabe. Not his real name. The one he’d assumed when he was ready to step into the world again.
“That was close.”
He’d caused the problem. Interesting how he didn’t apologize for the mess I now had to clean up. “Too close. Be smarter.”
“They’re nosy.”
He wasn’t wrong but I explained anyway. “They’re panicked, which means they’ll take chances. Make bad decisions.”
“That was the plan, right? Bring them back to the scene of the crime.”
“It’s too early for them to know about you.” I tried to read his expression. “Why did you hit her?”
“She started moving around the house.” He shrugged. “I tried to duck out of sight but couldn’t move fast enough. I worried she’d discover the sliding panel in the back of the pantry and make it harder for me to move around.”
“She didn’t.”
“At least they’ll be afraid now and will stay away.”
I rolled my eyes becausecome on. How did men know so little about women? I’d been isolated. Purposely kept away from others, biding my time. But I watched people. Programs on television. If I understood human nature, so should he. And he should react better. I taught him better.
“Hanna is not the type to back down. She’ll return, looking for her kid.” I didn’t hate the idea. Something about her, the inner strength and her love for Jeremy. I didn’t understand the last part, but it was intriguing to watch from a distance. “I’ll control her access. Usher her in. Take her where I need her to go. Let her see what I need her to see, so she can play her role.”
“Until then we wait?”
“And you stay hidden.” My patience pulled and stretched but did not break. Waiting a few more days sounded easy compared to fifteen years. But the end was coming. Just as I planned.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Marni
Stella and Hanna fussed over me for an hour. The pain in my head finally subsided. It now registered as a dull ache, which made it easier to ignore Hanna’s repeated pleas that I go to the hospital. I didn’t want to be seen anywhere.
I’d already gotten the call from the school—in record speed—about taking a voluntary leave of absence. To recover from the discovery of my “friend’s” body. I couldn’t see the principal make air quotes, but I could hear them in his voice. Then he rambled on about how my private life could easily become a distraction to the children and staff. More like being in the building would make it harder for everyone to gossip behind my back.
I didn’t bother with the breathing exercises. They’d never break through this mess. The anxious rumbling in my stomach seemed to be permanent now.
The whole town knew or guessed. I was the evil bitch who slept with her best friend’s husband. Now he was confirmedas dead. My friend remained missing. I’d been questioned. The whispers flew and the judgmental stares had started.
Interesting how quickly that news broke out. Only a few people knew. Two of them were in the room with me, sitting on the chairs in Stella’s family room. They didn’t leak it. I was terrible at reading people—obviously—but I couldn’t imagine Hanna starting the kind of rumor that followed her for years, chipping away at her stability and peace. Stella didn’t gain any advantage by leaking the news. She was practical and a little bloodthirsty, but I didn’t see this linking back to her.
Someone at the police station. One of the reporters at the scene at Xavier’s house could have been following me. Aubrey. The last was the most likely culprit.
“We need to share information.” Hanna delivered the familiar refrain in a weary voice. “No more stalling. It’s the only way we’ll figure this out and I’ll find Jeremy.”
Still no word from him. The only positive was that the police detective just called Hanna, asking for information about Jeremy’s car. He suggested there were “renewed concerns” about his absence. Checks of his banking and phone records had started.
Hanna sounded too lost, too broken to be positive. She didn’t run off because Stella had used my injury as a way of guilting Hanna into abandoning her trespassing house search for a few hours.
“Agree.” Stella didn’t hedge this time. Didn’t change the subject like she usually did when this topic came up. She didn’t exactly dump what she knew on the table either.
I mentally weighed the pros and cons of spilling the information I’d spent more than a decade hiding. Of unleashing the damning truth. My lawyer and Cam wanted me to stay quiet andkeep a low profile.The police warned me about leaving town.
