Which of course confirms that she was not fine earlier today. “What happened?”

Emily’s blue eyes are fixed on Paige. “The usual, I expect.”

For a murder trial, she means. And she’s pretending to be fine. I know she’s lying. She’s clearly fragile, and I want to wrap her in a hug—but we aren’t close enough for that. “Let me know if I can do anything.”

“I will,” Emily says, though that’s also a lie. I suppose living that long in the shadow of violent men has made her protective of the truth. She looks past me, out toward where the ocean is a glittering blue. Summer in Eben Cape is basically the real-life version of a tourism brochure for Maine. It’s all green grass and ocean waves and the breeze rustling in the trees. Summer is what makes the winters here worth it. I almost wish this trial wasn’t happening at the most beautiful time of year. “I was holding it together. At least I thought I was. Until the reporter.”

“A reporter?” I hadn’t even thought about that. We live in Eben Cape, not a busy city. We have a local paper. And a radio station that’s in the next town over.

“I can’t even remember what outlet he was with.” She rubs her eyes, looking remarkably like Paige when she’s exhausted. Overwhelmed. “He got in my face.”

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. We should have gone with you. Beau should have gone.”

“It’s okay.” She hesitates. “Mateo was there.”

“Which Mateo?”

Surely not Mateo Garza, A-list movie star and Beau’s best friend. Surely not the man who has always been suspicious of Emily. He and Emily don’t get along. They bristle in one another’s presence. There’s an energy between them that seems like it might turn to angry sparks at any moment. Or maybe it’s some kind of sexual chemistry.

“Mateo Garza,” Emily says.

“He was there? Did you two… did you two have a discussion?” I mean an argument. If Mateo showed up at the wrong time, if he gave her a hard time on her hardest day, I’m going to give him hell. Was he just standing there outside the courthouse?

“He helped me block the reporter. He kept him away from me so I could get to my car.” She blushes, the pink strong beneath her pale skin. “Actually, I’m in his debt.”

It sounds like there’s more she’s not saying. Mateo, the hero of the moment.

I guess I’ll have to thank him for helping Emily.