“Piper.” His smile was dubious. “No one has mentioned that?”

Ronnie cast a startled look at Lane, who didn’t look surprised. “Well, yeah,” he said quietly. “Kind of.”

“You think so?” Ronnie touched her hair. Piper dressed much more expensively than Ronnie, and her haircut was better, as were her makeup and jewelry.

But their features were similar. Their coloring, their height, their bodies, even. Ronnie felt flattered. But then she noticed the lawyer looking at her curiously, like he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure it was appropriate. “What?” she asked.

“Look, I’m no detective.” Cromwell showed her his palms in apology. “I could be way off base. But I suppose it’s worth asking. Is it possible that whoever was also in that hallway . . . I mean, it was dark, the two of you looked the same. Could it have been someone out to hurt you?”

Ronnie stared at him in horror, and once again, Jerrod’s presence washed over her like a dust storm. It was impossible—or was it?

But somehow she was able to tell Cromwell no. She didn’t trust this guy. She didn’t trust anyone yet.

They shook hands, and Ronnie was free to go. She and Lane walked out of the little office with their heads bent. When Lane pointed out his Honda in the parking lot, Ronnie started to cry.

“I can stay somewhere else,” she offered. “If you need some space.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lane said, his voice heartbreakingly gentle. “We’ll get through this.”

He held the car door open for her. They drove home in relative silence, Ronnie’s body vibrating with fear. Ronnie asked what they were going to do about her car, which was still at Silver Swans, and Lane said he’d jog over there and pick it up later. But she could sense that maybe Lane wasn’t furious with her. And as their apartment complex crested into view, Lane sighed.

“The dancing stuff I can get over,” he said. “But that note, Ronnie. I wish you’d told me. We’re in this together.”

“I know.” When she looked at Lane, his face was haggard with sadness. It was because she’d betrayed him, surely. Her whole body throbbed with regret. She hated seeing him in pain.

At the front door, Lane opened their little mailbox and pulled out a few bills. “Can you hold these for a sec?”