Someone who made people feel safe, even when they weren’t.
35
Brianne looked surprised when she answered the door, seeing me standing on the front porch without warning, unlike our previous visit.
“Oh. Georgiana,” she said. “I didn’t expect … come in.”
The house was quiet today. No television. No radio. Just the faint tick of a clock somewhere down the hall.
“Is Gabriel home?” I asked.
“No,” she said. “He took the car into town. Talia’s out too.”
We walked into the kitchen, where a kettle sat cooling on the stove. Two mugs were already out, untouched. She motioned for me to sit, then took the chair across from me, folding her hands together like she was bracing herself for the reason for my visit.
“I’m guessing you didn’t come by just to check in,” she said.
“No,” I said. “I didn’t. I want to share a few more details about the case and the things that have come to light since I saw you last.”
She raised a brow. “Okay.”
“I know Anne Fontaine was at a bonfire with you and several of your friends right before she went missing. I also know you all agreed not to give the police that information after she disappeared.”
Brianne sighed and said, “You’re right. Aiden convinced us not to tell the police. He thought they’d try to blame one of us for her disappearance. It was a long time ago, though, and I guess I just don’t understand what Anne has to do with the reason why you’re here.”
“Audrey found Anne’s locket,” I continued. “And I believe that’s what led to her murder.”
“How so?”
“After she found it, she started asking questions, trying to figure out what had happened to her. Ask me, the person responsible for her murder knew Audrey was looking into Anne’s disappearance.”
“No one knows what happened to Anne. I don’t see why someone would kill Audrey over an idle curiosity for a missing woman. If the police couldn’t figure out what happened to her, Audrey wouldn’t have been able to either, not after all this time.”
“The police lacked evidence we now have. They never knew your friends were with her right before she went missing. Audrey knew the truth.”
“Who told her?”
I thought about whether I should tell her or not, but at this point, I thought it all deserved to be out in the open.
“Wendy,” I said.
“I am surprised Wendy kept it to herself for all this time. I always knew not telling the police was the wrong decision. I just didn’t want to be the only one who did and then have them question everyone else, and have them contradict my story. Once one person talks, everything comes out. And that night, it wasn’t just about Anne. There were other things happening. Things people wanted to forget.”
“Secrets,” I said.
“Yes.”
She fidgeted with the collar on her shirt, straightening it even though it was already straight.
Her nerves were getting the better of her.
That much was obvious.
Maybe she’d realized that even after all this time, they could all be in trouble for withholding information.
Or maybe she was nervous for a different reason.
“Tell me what you remember about the bonfire,” I said.
