“Unity’s on her way,” Ellen said, standing next to her luggage. “I know you’re tired. You don’t have to wait.”

“I don’t mind.” He glanced at Lissa. “You can sit on the bus, if you want. I’ll stay out here with Ellen.”

Lissa glanced between them, sucked in a breath and said, “Dad, I slept with Luka on the trip.”

Keith heard the words, but they didn’t make sense. It was as if his daughter suddenly had started speaking Danish—not that he would recognize Danish, nor did he know why that language popped in his head. But whatever it was, it wasn’t English. It couldn’t be. If it was, that meant he could understand her and—

“Just like that,” Ellen said, sounding more weary than shocked. “That was your plan? What happened to everything we talked about last night?”

Talked about? Last night? Last night when Ellen and Lissa had unexpectedly shared a room because the hotel had—

He spun to stare at Ellen. “You knew!”

She twisted her hands together. “It’s not what you think. Okay, it’s what you think but it’s not...” She made a strangled noise in her throat. “Keith, I’m sorry.”

“You knew!” He couldn’t believe it. Ellen had known Luka and his daughter were—

“I can’t even think it,” he snapped, glaring at his daughter. “You lied.”

“I didn’t. I wasn’t doing it the last time you asked.”

“But you wanted to.”

Lissa covered her face with her hands. “What is it with you thought police people? I refuse to be in trouble for thinking something. I just refuse.”

He had no idea what to say to his daughter, so he returned his attention to Ellen. At least there he could give in to his rage.

“How could you not tell me?”

“I know. I’m sorry.” She sounded desperate. “It was so awful. I went into Lissa’s room in Medford. I wanted some fashion advice and they were there, in bed. I was so shocked. I told them to stop.”

He narrowed his gaze. “You told them to stop? Wow. Great. Then I guess it’s all okay.”

“Keith, no. Please, I would never betray you. You know that. You know me. I wanted to tell you, but not on the trip. What would you have done?”

“Killed Luka.” That was the obvious solution. He should have thought of it before.

“Da-ad!”

He turned to his daughter. “Your best defense might be staying quiet right now.”

“Whatever.” She flounced onto the bus.

Ellen watched her go. “I’m sorry.”

“So you said.”

She looked at him. “I mean it. Keith, I know this is shocking. I went through it myself. But there was no way to tell you while we were still on a bus. It would have been hideous for everyone.”

“I trusted you.”

“We were on the road. There was nowhere for Luka to hide.” Her voice was pleading. “Keith, you have to see that.”