“You’re clearly unfamiliar with the people who live on Whitaker,” Jenna said in a hushed tone just loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I hired Owen. Killing him didn’t help me.” Daria hesitated for a few seconds before dropping her last bomb. “And of the two of us, Maddie, I’m the one with nothing to hide.”

“Okay, we’re done here.” Ben stood up and gestured for Daria to do the same. “We’re going to my office for formal questioning.”

Maddie scrambled out of her chair. “Ben, no.”

“I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you. Don’t really care. I do care about threatening notes and attempted break-ins and assaults and a murder. All of those happened recently and all of it leads back to you.” Ben pointed between Maddie and Daria. “The two of you.”

Daria stood up and walked over to Ben. Didn’t try to get out of the questioning or walk away. “Ask me anything. I tell the truth.”

I tell the truth.

The words still rang in Maddie’s head a half hour later. Sylvia had suggested she and Connor stay and have coffee. Maddie wanted out of there. Out of the Lodge. Off Whitaker. So, they left and went back to Maddie’s house.

Her past caught up with her and delivered a smashing blow. The urge to run overwhelmed her.

Daria leveled accusations. Put them out there for the whole room to hear. They couldn’t be stuffed back and hidden away again. The whispers would start. On top of being on the run and exhausted she would need to deal with everyone’s doubts.

She couldn’t live like that again.

She paced around the small area between her couch and the coffee table. “Any word from Ben?”

“Still no.”

She glanced over at Connor. He bent over the kitchen island, balancing on his elbows while he studied something on his phone. His neutral look suggested he was relaxed and unconcerned but she knew better. A quiet Connor in the car was a thinking Connor. He likely turned over every word Daria said, searching for an underlying meaning. He could be searching for more information on his cell right now.

“How could he believe her?” She referred to Ben, but the he could stand for anyone in the room who listened to Daria’s comments.

Connor finally set the cell aside and looked at her. “I don’t think he knew what to believe.”

“Did you?” she asked, then held her breath, waiting for the answer.

He hesitated, not diving right in. For a few seconds he studied her. His gaze roamed her face. “What was she talking about?”