Mrs. Morgan let out a deep breath. She held her coffee cup between both hands and stared at the contents while she answered. “James and I were going to be gone for the afternoon. I gave Bridget a sedative to make her sleep.” Mrs. Morgan looked up with wide eyes, suggesting she needed to explain. “Gabrielle wouldn’t have done anything to hurt her siblings but she is not the most responsible person. Bridget can be a handful at times. It was just best to have her calm.”

Val understood and it made sense now why Bridget was never mentioned in the reports. “How do you know it wasn’t Gabrielle that led the twins to the water?”

“She denied it. She was my daughter and I believed her. I also don’t blame her for whatever happened.”

“Blaming, believing and knowing are different things.” Val couldn’t help but sense Mrs. Morgan was not at peace with her decision.

“I’ll be honest. I don’t know what happened that afternoon.” Mrs. Morgan hung her head for a moment before looking back up at Val. “The story has changed slightly over the years. I have my own suspicions and that’s all.”

“Mrs. Morgan, can I ask a delicate question?”

“Let me hear it first. I don’t break easily but some things are still painful after all of these years.”

“I noticed at Gabrielle’s funeral that there were no pictures of Melinda on the remembrance board, is it because you feel she had something to do with the death of your children?”

“No, I forgave both Bethany and Melinda for that day a long time ago—for whatever role they had, if they even had a role. I think we made a poor choice in having a pool. It’s too tempting for kids to want to play, accidents happen. I had James fill it in. I’ll never have another pool again.”

“Then why did you omit Melinda?”

“She tried to seduce my husband.”

Val nearly fell off her chair.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Mrs. Morgan sat forward and put a hand on Val’s shoulder. “I caught her in my bedroom, lying on my bed, wearing nothing but a thong. She thought James was coming home, but surprise, it was me.”

“How long ago was that? My God, was she a teenager?” Val rambled the sentences together, trying to keep the shock out of her voice.

“No. This happened when Gabi and Adam were living here, so a few years ago. I’m not sure how she got in without anyone noticing, but she left with everyone in the vicinity seeing her because I kicked her out the same way I found her lying on my bed. Wearing only a thong.”

Val laughed out loud as she pictured Mrs. Morgan chasing a practically naked Melinda out of the house. Mrs. Morgan laughed too, then composed herself.