“We have some questions we need to get through.”

The comment was as close to a dismissal as Connor had heard from Ben. He opened his file and took out a pen. He didn’t clear the room but his body language said get out.

Connor understood Ben had a job to do, but not like this. Not now. Maddie had made it clear she was ready to talk but she looked too shaky to get much of value out. “Can this wait?”

“No, Connor.” Ben stopped writing on his notepad and looked up. “I’ve waited long enough to hear this. You and Sylvia can step into the hall.”

“It’s okay.” Maddie rested her hand against the table with a soft thud. “They can stay.”

“Maddie.” Ben’s tone held a warning.

She didn’t look impressed. “Let’s not pretend we can keep this a secret. If Owen Pritchard is connected to my past, everyone will know soon enough. People here have a skill for ferreting out information, even though they all claim not to be nosy.”

“I don’t understand,” Sylvia said as she sat down next to Connor.

“Maddie believes the victim is tied to her past.” Ben looked around the table and stopped at Maddie. “And I’m trying to figure out how.”

“But now?” Connor asked.

Ben nodded. “Right now. And to be clear, everyone gets interviewed separately about their whereabouts when this death occurred. This is about background.” Ben waited for everyone to acknowledge his statement before he nodded at Maddie. “Go ahead.”

She traced her finger over some invisible pattern only she could see on the table. Watching her sit there, struggling to find the words, made Connor ache for her. She’d gone from being painfully private to having her life laid bare. Maybe not all of Whitaker would know, but he knew from experience that talking about events like this took a toll.

Everything would change now. She might sneak back to her reclusive ways. He just hoped she didn’t walk away from him.

Maddie locked the information away long ago. Kept it pent up in that tiny part at the back of her mind. The dark space of things she wanted to forget. Cracking the vault open now took all of her strength, but it gave her something to focus on. If she could just repeat the words, describe the details as if they happened in a movie or to someone else, she could survive this.