father gave us. Supposedly, he was just as dirty as Morningstar, and one late night, after too many fingers of scotch, he revealed the truth to your father. And perhaps he realized his mistake and had to eliminate it.”
I shake my head, not wanting to believe it. “No, that can’t be, Rafe. They worked together. They were friends for twenty years. They played golf and our families went on vacation together. His wife and my mom… They were in a book club. It can’t be true…” But even as I say the words out loud, I know that Rafe could be right. If nothing else, it gives him motive.
He places a hand on my knee. “Brie, I’m not saying it’s a fact. It’s just a lead. A theory, really.”
“What the hell was Dad doing? What did he have on them?” Hell, what am I doing? I’m in way over my head here, and if I didn’t have Rafe, I have no idea what I’d do.
“That’s what we need to find out, Brie. And we need to find it fast, before anyone else does. I’m worried about what he’s going to do if he finds out you’re here.”
Fear threatens to derail my plans, but I refuse to allow it to. I plaster on a fake smile. “Then I guess it’s a good thing you promised to protect me.”
He cups my face with his hands. “Always.”
I smile up at him, my eyes watering. This is going to be hard enough, so I force my emotions down and get back to the subject at hand.
“The realtor… Is anyone coming? Or are we just wasting our time?” I ask, standing up.
He rests his elbows on his knees as he watches me pace along the porch. “When I called the number on the sign, and asked about this particular house, they directed my call a Mr. Louis Reynolds. Does that name sound familiar?”
“No, I’ve never heard it before,” I tell him.
“Apparently, he’s the one who conducted the original sale through Burns.”
“Who bought it? And why is it for sale now?”
He shakes his head. “I have no idea, Brie. I don’t even know if anyone has lived here since you left. It should be a matter of public record. When we get back to the hotel, I’ll check the records database.”
“So, what now?” I ask, feeling dejected. Even though I wasn’t sure I could do it, I really do want to go inside.
“He said he’d send someone over with a key but not to get our hopes up. The house has been for sale for a couple of years, but the seller has turned down every offer so far. Even ones above the asking price.”
I frown, even more confused than before. “But why? What’s the point of keeping a house on the market if you have no actual intention of selling?” More questions continue to pile on top of one another, and I wonder if we’ll ever even get close to finding the answers.
Before he can respond, a shiny, red Miata pulls into the drive. He stands and crosses to me, taking my hand as a petite, blonde exits the car and smiles brightly at us. Her heels echo across the pavement as she makes her way towards us, waving along the way.
“Hi. You must be the Michaelsons. I’m Bridget Templeton,” she says, her voice sugary sweet.
The Michaelsons?
I raise an eyebrow at Rafe. He gives me a wink and a look that tells me to roll with it. Then he extends his hand to Bridget, and they shake.
“I’m Ben. This is my wife, Lila. We were out house hunting and happened by this one. We loved the outside so much we just had to have a look inside. Thank you for coming so quickly.”
The lies roll effortlessly off his tongue, and I smile warmly, hoping we present the picture of a blissfully married couple looking for a new home in which to start a family. My hand drops to my stomach, and my smile widens. Perhaps, one day soon, it’ll actually be true.
“We’re expecting,” I tell her, and she beams from ear to ear. “We’re looking to upgrade before the little one comes and things get hectic.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” she gushes, clasping her hands together. “This is a lovely neighborhood. Perfect for raising a family. The school district is excellent—one of the best in the state. You really can’t go wrong with this location.”
I don’t tell her that I already know that. This is a picture-perfect