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“No,” I agreed. “It isn’t.”

Something in my answer seemed to satisfy her.

Sybil returned in clean dark jeans, boots, a knit thermal, and a weatherproof jacket. Her hair was damp and pulled back, and the change should have made her look more rested.

It didn’t.

It made the strain around her eyes easier to see.

Her phone rang as she reached the kitchen. She checked the screen and exhaled.

“Angie.”

Laurie’s expression softened. “Answer her.”

“She’s probably already called you six times.”

“Eight.”

Sybil accepted the call and hit speaker before setting the phone on the table.

“Hi.”

“Do not ‘hi’ me like you forgot to call me back after brunch.”

The woman’s voice came through fast and warm, with household noise somewhere behind her.

Sybil sank into her chair. “Good morning to you too.”

“Laurie told me you were arrested for murder, Sybil.”

“I’m aware.”

“I assumed you were. Are you home?”

“For about twenty minutes.”

“Are Laurie and Pam with you?”

“They’re here.”

A pause followed, and Angie’s voice changed when she spoke again. “Okay. Then tell me what you need. Frankie can pick up your car if it’s somewhere stupid. I can bring clothes, groceries, coffee, bail money, a shovel—”

“No shovel.”

“I was listing options.”

Sybil laughed softly. “I’m okay for the moment. Rick got an attorney. I’m out on bail. I have to go back to Hollowfield for a meeting, and EPG assigned me close protection.”

“Assigned you what?”

Sybil looked at me.

I lifted my coffee.

“A bodyguard,” she said.

There was a beat of complete silence from the phone.