That smile again, oily as an eel. “I can’t believe it,” she said with a hand on her heart, playing at affected. “Who would do something like this? Why us?” Just as quickly, the tender maiden act was history. “I’m not stupid, Shana. I bawled like a baby and told them what I know, which is pretty much nothing.”

Jesus. Apart from her looks, my cousin hadn’t changed a bit. “Crissy,” I said, “this is serious. Don’t think for a second the police will hesitate to slap you with an obstruction charge just because they see more jaywalkers around here than felons. They’re treating Brett’s death as suspicious. There are plenty of good reasons to find his killer beyond giving your family some answers. Twenty years ago, someone was so angry and desperate to wipe him out they felt the only path forward was to take his life. The authorities are looking for that person now. Have you stopped to consider where that leaves you?”

My cousin stared at me, uncomprehending.

“You’re Brett’s daughter,” I said, “and yes, you may in fact have no information of value to share. But Brett’s killer doesn’t know that. The discovery of Brett’s body is all over the news. Any criminal with half a brain would be trying to gauge what the cops know. They’ll be keeping an eye on the people who were close to Brett back then. Do you get what I’m saying? Whoever’s responsible for his death could be back now—if they ever even left—and they’re going to be watching. Are you comfortable with that person sharing the town where you work, where your kids go to school, now that you know what they’ve done?”

We were so close to each other I could see her cleavage, crinkly from years of tanning, pulse like a puppy’s hairless belly. She looked away from me, her face shuttered tight, and for a second I saw what she did. Her boys, getting off the bus to find their front door ajar. A stranger greeting them instead of their mother, holding Crissy’s favorite coffee mug while he coaxed the children inside.

“You want to know why I’m here?” I said. “I came to tell you to be careful. However you may feel about Brett, he suffered at the hands of someone whose motive we don’t yet understand. Don’t stray too far from home, okay? Keep those boys of yours close.”

She cast me a dispassionate glance. “I’ve fought off plenty of men who’ve gotten handsy. I’m pretty sure I can handle this.”

I wanted to tell her this wasn’t like when some repellent high school boy had his mitt down her pants. What I said was, “Terrific. Don’t let me make you late for work. Really great seeing you, Crissy. I’ll show myself out.”

EIGHT

The sun was high in the winter sky by the time I left Crissy’s, and my stomach had started to growl. Knowing Mom, there’d be a pot of soup on soon, maybe even some freshly baked rolls, but moments after I got into my car and cranked the heat, my mobile phone chimed an alert. It was a new message from Suze. OMG are you in town? I’m teaching all day at the dance studio on Merchants Row. Please come by, I would LOVE to see you!