“Wait.” The trembling started in her hands but it would soon overtake all of her. All those memories would crash in and haunt every hour. She’d lose the ability to keep it together.

Connor stared at her. “What is it?”

“He’s from Winston-Salem or somewhere close.” She could hear the faraway sound in her voice but not the fear. Somehow, she disguised that. Probably from years of practice and pretending to be someone else. Someone with a boring life and no drama.

Ben confirmed her worst fears with a nod. “That’s right.”

The chair squeaked as Connor shifted position. He leaned forward, balancing his elbows on the edge of the table. “I’m thinking that wasn’t just a really good guess.”

“You said you didn’t know him,” Ben said.

Their voices echoed around her. She tried to concentrate, to stay in the here and now. “I don’t, but this is about me. This guy being here, possibly his murder—all me.”

Ben’s eyes narrowed. “We don’t know that.”

“There’s no pretending. It’s too much of a coincidence.” This wasn’t about this one guy. This was bigger. So much bigger.

“What are you saying?” Ben asked.

She lifted her head and stared at two of the only people she trusted right now. “That past I’m running from? It’s in Winston-Salem.”

Chapter 19

Ben called Sylvia in from the hall. Connor heard him say her name and the door opened, but all of his focus stayed on Maddie. The color had left her face. She sat there, pale, looking small and vulnerable. Not anything like the woman who stormed around the island asking about outsiders and talking about hiding places. This was the Maddie who had all those locks on her door. The terrified one.

“What’s going on?” Sylvia glanced around the table, and when her gaze landed on Maddie, her mouth flattened into a thin line. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Maddie’s hand shook as she reached for her coffee mug.

Connor wanted to take her home. Not to the cabin because the police tape and gawkers made that impossible. Maybe to hers or the Lodge. He looked at Ben. “Do we need to be here?”

“Yes.” Ben only spared Connor a quick look before turning to Sylvia. “I need a list of open properties on the island and a second list of short-term rentals. The rent likely would have been paid in cash.”

“You have that as board president?” Connor asked because he still didn’t understand the way Whitaker ran or how all of these pieces fit together.

“Yes.” Sylvia nodded. “This is about the man you found?”

“Dom suggested someone came onto the island and didn’t leave. Someone he didn’t know.” Maddie visibly exhaled a shuddering breath as soon as she finished the sentence. “That person could be our victim.”

“Okay.” Sylvia said the word, but she didn’t move.