The truth was, I knew why he had.
He didn’t know me or the reason why I was there.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. It seemed like the right thing to do.”
“All I ask is that you hear me out and allow me to explain who I am and why I’m here. All right?”
“Guess so.”
“I was hired by Audrey Ashford’s mother to investigate her murder.”
He flinched at her name but said nothing.
“I saw the sketches you made of Anne’s locket,” I continued. “And yesterday, I found the locket in Audrey’s room.”
“You did?”
I nodded. “I’m guessing Audrey found that locket either in the abandoned cabin in the woods near her house, or somewhere nearby. She showed it to you, and the two of you did some research and figured out a girl named Anne went missing twenty-five years ago. Am I right?”
“So far.”
I pointed at his hand. “What happened?”
“I was trying to cut a bag open with my pocketknife and nicked my finger.”
It explained the blood I saw on the tent flap.
“Are you out here because you’re worried the person who murdered Audrey might target you next?” I asked.
“Yeah, but I don’t know anything. At least, I don’t think I do.”
“The killer might not be aware of that.”
“No kidding. Why do you think I’m out here?”
I moved a hand to my hip. “What is your plan, anyway? You can’t stay out here forever.”
“I don’t have one. I just knew I had to get away, somewhere I could think.” He dragged the back of his hand across his forehead, smearing more dirt on his skin. “I can’t go back. If they find me?—”
“They won’t,” I said. “You may not have a plan, but I do.”
“What is it?”
“Until I solve this case, you can stay with me.”
He blinked at me like he was unsure he’d heard me right. “With you? I don’t even know you.”
“And I don’t know you, but you can trust me. Why don’t we pack up everything, and you can follow me back to my house?”
“I … ahh, my truck won’t start. Before you got here, I was planning to hike my way out of here.”
“All right, new plan. Let’s leave the truck for now. We’ll come back for it later.”
He gave the suggestion some thought. “How do you plan on keeping me safe?”
“My husband and I have private security. Not a home system. An actual guard on our property.”
I left out the part about Giovanni needing security because he came from a world much different than the world he was living in now, with me.
