I didn’t understand what I was reading. My body couldn’t handle the overload. My husband knew Vera was alive and let me believe she could be dead since July. All that time watching me worry, observing my slow ruin. Saying nothing. For the past six months my darkness had tumbled out in wails. Now it ripped through me in fury. I clenched my jaw, holding in the screams that wanted out.

When Oliver walked into the bedroom, towel wrapped around his waist, he stutter-stepped back and stiffened, seeing his cell phone in my hand.

“I can explain, Felicity—”

“No!” I roared, so angry I bit my cheek, tasting blood. It was the coppery taste of betrayal.

The Pittsburg Press

The Pittsburg Press

Pittsburg, PA

Thursday, October 20, 1910

FAMILY SUSPICIONS GROW AS FAKE MESSAGES EXCHANGED IN MISSING WOMAN CASE

Several relatives of Mrs. Alvera Fields, the missing wife and mother, cast aside all hope of her return as news came early yesterday that the advertisements in the newspaper claimed to be for Mrs. Fields were indeed false.

Although letters were found from Miss Cecile Cianfarra in Alvera’s writing desk, when questioned about them, Miss Cianfarra stated:

“Alvera and I were friends who supported the same cause. I have nothing to do with her disappearance, nor was I behind such advertisements. If you want a suspect, look at her husband Robert Fields, who staunchly rejected Alvera’s involvement in our women’s suffrage fundraising, so much so that he committed her to a sanitarium to prevent her work and hired ruffians to mug her.”

Miss Cianfarra has since remained silent on the matter as detectives were put to work tracing Miss Cianfarra’s movements throughout Pennsylvania. Although Miss Cianfarra denies knowing Mrs. Fields’ whereabouts, the family has their suspicions and is quite outspoken about them. Robert Fields denied Miss Cianfarra’s accusation and said to authorities,

“Miss Cianfarra knows something about what happened to my wife, and she will be held liable for her involvement.”

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Marin

Debra’s glare reached me through the darkness. “It seems like you’ve been keeping secrets too, Marin.”

I wondered how much Debra had overheard, what she suspected, what she knew. A confession was brewing in me, heavy in my gut, something I hadn’t yet spoken aloud. I’m the reason Vera is gone. I know who took her. The admission crawled across my tongue…then I squashed it.

Instead I went on the defensive.

“I’ve been keeping secrets too? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Debra took a step toward me. “I overheard you on the phone mentioning Vera’s name, asking if she was with whoever was on the other end. Who were you talking to, Marin?”