“I knew it was an accident the moment I saw you. And that no punishment the justice system could dish out would be as bad as what you were already experiencing. I went back and convinced them not to prosecute.”

His words rushed through me, freezing me like ice. No, broken ice. I felt shattered and pierced.

“You knew the whole time.”

He warily gazed into my eyes, then slowly nodded.

“Have you been stalking me for all these years?”

“Of course not. A couple of months ago I saw you in the elevator. I knew I recognized you, I just didn’t remember from where. After I got out I remembered.”

For several minutes I was speechless. I had never felt so exposed before. “Why did you lie to me?”

“I didn’t lie to you.”

“You withheld the truth. That’s the same as a lie.”

“It wasn’t important.”

I stared at him incredulously. “It wasn’t important?”

“No,” he said.

“It was to me,” I said. “How could you be so cruel?”

He looked stunned. “Elise . . .”

“I need to go,” I said.

“Elise, please.”

“I need to go,” I repeated. “Now.”

“All right. We’ll go.”

“Alone,” I said.

He looked at me for a moment, then nodded. “All right.”

I retrieved my coat from the coat check and walked alone back to the hotel.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

CHAPTER

Twenty-seven

It’s been said that the truth will set you free. But the truth can also bury you. It’s not the hurricane that breaks your heart, it’s the phone call afterward informing you that all is lost.

Elise Dutton’s Diary

The night passed in a strange delirium. Nothing was what I thought it was. My Nicholas, my beautiful, safe fantasy man, was an intricate part of my worst nightmare. He was part of my past, and, whether he had intended to or not, he had re-engulfed me in it.

The next morning Nicholas called me several times, but I didn’t answer. The fourth time he left a message. “Elise, your flight to Salt Lake leaves at two-ten. It’s nearly an hour ride to the airport, so you better leave the hotel by noon. I booked a car for you. It will be downstairs at the curb waiting for you at twelve. It will have a sign in the window with your name. If you have any problems, just ask the hotel attendant for help. Don’t worry about checking out; I’ll take care of everything.

“I won’t be going with you. I’m going to stay here for an extra day so you can have time to think. I’m sorry for hurting you. I didn’t mean to. I would never intentionally hurt you. I hope you can forgive me.” Then he said something I didn’t understand. “Please have faith in me. I understand your pain better than you know.”