the door as she stares out of the window.
“Tracy?” Kit says, waiting for her to swivel round.
The seconds pass, and eventually Tracy turns, her eyes red and swollen from crying and lack of sleep.
“Oh Tracy.” Kit forgets whatever distance has come between them and rushes over, gathering Tracy in her arms.
Tracy bursts into tears. “I love him,” she says. “And it’s over.”
Kit rubs her back softly, not saying anything, and when the tears gradually subside, Kit pulls away and cups Tracy’s face in her hand.
“I know,” she whispers, and confusion fills Tracy’s eyes.
“I know about Jed. Steve. I know about the abuse.”
“Wha—” Tracy frowns. “How? How do you know? Did Robert tell you?”
“No. I was in my office and the door was open. I was resting and you were standing right outside. I didn’t know what to do. I was going to get up but then it was too late, and I froze. I’m so sorry.”
“So you heard everything.”
“I did.”
“Kit, I’m so sorry I’ve been so weak. And I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about Steve, and I’m so—”
“Will you stop? Stop apologizing. I understand. I understand everything. You don’t have to explain it to me. I just wanted to see if you were okay. I was worried about you.”
“I’ve been crying all night.” Tracy closes her eyes. “I never expected to fall in love with Robert. Not like this. But now I have, and he doesn’t want me.”
“That’s not what he said last night. He said he needed time.”
“But he can’t trust me after this. How could he?”
“I think you will be okay,” Kit says. “I think he loves you too much to let you go, and this isn’t your fault. You’re the victim in this, not the perpetrator.”
“But I was in the beginning. I went along with Jed’s plan in the beginning, before I thought about what I was doing. Before I cared.”
“That’s in the past. Now we just have to figure out the future.”
“How?”
“I’m not sure yet, but we’ll think of something. You really do love him, don’t you?”
Tracy nods. “I really do.”
The snow, still falling, covers the small Connecticut town in a blanket of white. It is a perfect snowstorm. Picture perfect. So soft and welcoming, it will cover up any ugliness underneath.
Dune Road is covered, apart from a set of tire tracks leading up to Hillpoint. They are from a rented limo, which may or may not be able to get out of the driveway now that the snow is falling so fast, but the visitor has been inside the house for two hours, and shows no sign of coming out soon.
The driver presses his seat back and rests his head on the headrest for a nap. It doesn’t look like he’ll be going anywhere in a hurry.
Inside, Peter, or Plum, as Robert knows him, sits with Robert, chatting quietly in the living room. He explains how he knows, and assures Robert that Tracy is genuine. He made a few calls after he spoke to Kit, and there are some things he has firmly established.
The first is that Tracy is telling the truth, and there is nothing in her history to indicate she is part of a larger conspiracy: no criminal record, nothing damaging other than her affiliation with Jed.
He, on the other hand, is another story entirely. There are outstanding warrants for his arrest in the state of California, and a criminal record.
“A nasty piece of work,” Plum says, “but a small-time operator.”
Robert smiles. “Are you going to tell me you have people who would take care of him?”
Plum doesn’t smile back. “Are you asking me to have him taken care of?”
Robert shakes his head. “I would not do that. I just feel . . . torn. What if I make a mistake? What if I am wrong about Tracy?”
“Pfff!” Plum dismisses him. “What if I am wrong about Ginny? So I am wrong. Lord knows I have been wrong many times before. If we are wrong, we move on. Life is too short not to seize happiness when it presents itself, and you, my friend, have spent many years without knowing happiness.”
“It hasn’t been that bad.” Robert attempts a smile, but when it comes it is forced, and false.
“I was there, remember?” Plum says, this time more gently. “I saw how Penelope treated you. She was a wild one, too much of a handful for you. I saw her fall and, although God will have to forgive me for saying this, I