Kate swallowed. She hadn’t considered that he could actually be a threat to his own daughter. She was still trying to figure out why he’d killed her mother. “I don’t get it. Do you think he killed Mother as a cover-up? So that he could kill me, and the police would attribute everything to some crazed psycho?” Kate swirled her spoon around the mug, lifting the tea bag up and down unconsciously.

Blaire gave her a sympathetic look. “Yeah, I do. I’m sorry, sweetie. I’ve been waiting until you were strong enough to tell you what I found out. Carter told me your mother did call Simon. Sabrina and he were supposed to go on a business trip to New York, but he made her stay behind after speaking to your mother. Lily must have tried to talk some sense into him. Obviously he didn’t appreciate that. I think he and Sabrina planned this whole thing. I mean, he knew all about your anxiety. How to push your buttons. And what kind of sick bastard tortures innocent animals? I mean, seriously, killing those poor parakeets and painting them black. That’s beyond sick.”

Kate’s head snapped up. What had Blaire just said?

“Why don’t you try your dad now? Then we can get out of here.”

“Okay.” Kate pulled out her cell phone and tried him. It rang four times before going to voice mail. “No answer. Maybe they hit some traffic.” She was still thinking about Blaire’s words from a moment before.

“Why don’t we get going now? You can try them again from the car,” Blaire said. “I’ll drive.”

Kate was still thinking about the birds. How did Blaire know the birds were parakeets, and that they’d been spray-painted? Kate had never told her that, had she? She was sure she’d only said they were blackbirds.

“Um, you know what? I’ve got a splitting headache. I think I need to just rest a little before we go out. Do you mind terribly running over to CVS and picking up some Tylenol for me? I’ve run out.”

“I’ve got some Advil with me.” Blaire started to get up. “Let me go get it.”

Kate shook her head. “No, I can’t take ibuprofen. It bothers my stomach. I hate to ask, but it’s not far from here, only a few miles up the road.” She was lying, but she needed to get Blaire out of the house.

Blaire stared at her for a minute and smiled. “Sure. I’ll be right back.”