“I feel awful, Kim,” said Lara, cutting her off. “How do you think I’d feel? He’s missing… dead, maybe. I feel like shit. And you can quote me.”

“Here you go,” called Marla, holding Kim’s tickets in her hand. She turned her eyes to Lara conspiratorially. “It was so good to see you. I know you’re in a hurry. Thanks for stopping by to pick up those photos.”

Lara smiled, grateful for the rescue.

Kim went to say something to Lara, but she’d already pushed through the door.

Chapter 14

That was ghastly,” said Audrey, her eyes wide. “She wanted to interview you?”

Lara fell back on the bed, closing her eyes. “She said she wanted to know how I was feeling.” Reaching out, Lara’s fingers felt the edge of Cecile’s journal, right on her bed where she’d left it.

“I hope you told her,” said Audrey, sitting back in Lara’s chair, her posture perfect. “The nerve of that woman. I ought to call Avery Caldwell myself to complain. You’re Simon Webster’s granddaughter for Christ’s sake. All the articles that they printed about you…” Audrey stared out at the window. “I should have called him earlier, instead of just having Caren get them from the mailbox. You know Ben Archer would get that paper first and would call me if there was something he thought you shouldn’t see in it.” Her mother kicked off her sneakers.

“Ben.” She hadn’t known the great Kerrigan Falls Express newspaper conspiracy had so many participants. Sensing the tone in her mother’s voice, she asked, “Do you approve?”

“It’s not that I don’t approve of him escorting you tonight. I just hope it’s for the right reason on your part.” Audrey picked up the photo of Lara and Todd that sat next to the lamp on the side table.

“You think it’s too soon,” said Lara, eyeing her mother.

“That’s not it.” Audrey placed the photo back on the table and strummed her long, pale fingers over it, considering her words. “As you well know, I was never a fan of Todd’s.”

“Then you think Ben is too old for me.”

“Well,” said Audrey. “He is ten years older than you? At least I can’t sense other women on him, like I used to do with Todd.” Her mother closed her eyes tightly at what appeared to be a painful memory, then realized that she was speaking out loud. “Sorry…”

Lara put her hands on her face, hoping this would all go away. “Todd was certainly no angel.”

“He wasn’t worthy of you, but I’m your mother, so… Just make sure that you really care about Ben Archer, that’s all. Don’t rebound. Trust me, I know about that. Take the time you need to recover.”