her face in the grubby windmill window. I shove my hands deep into my pockets.
When I get to the deck, I’m walking fast, eager to get inside the pool house and close the door behind me. But the broad shape of a body, blacked out in silhouette against the bedroom light I must have left on, stops me in my tracks.
“Anna.”
It’s a woman’s voice, but not one I can easily place. The breeze tugs at her dress, or maybe it’s a nightgown, and the fabric billows out, making her appear oddly shapeless. Ghostly. I press my lips between my teeth, try to shake myself free from Caden’s silly ghost stories.
“Yes?” I can’t keep the tremble out of my voice.
She takes a step toward me, out of the light. I squint.
“I’m glad you’re home. I’d like the two of us to have a chat.”
She keeps walking forward. Two steps, three. I take a step back, feel for my phone in my pocket. When there’s about four feet between us, she comes into focus in the dark. Meredith Talbot, barefoot and wearing a nightgown that looks too hot and scratchy for summer.
She must have seen me with Caden, at the stable or in the film room. She knows I haven’t been staying away from Windermere like she asked. But when she comes to a stop in front of me, her body uncomfortably close to mine, it’s not Windermere she wants to talk about.
“You were seen in town with the Jenkins girl,” she says, a note of accusation in her voice. You were seen. Like I’ve violated some social code by hanging out with Martina. Someone must have spotted us at the ice-cream shop. My breath hitches. What had I been thinking, sitting in that front window? Anyone could have seen the flash drive on the table between us. Possibly even overheard our conversation. I press my lips together and wait for Mrs. Talbot to reveal her hand.
“I don’t know what you think you know,” she continues, “about my son. Martina Jenkins has already caused enough trouble with her podcast, pointing the finger at Caden. It’s irresponsible, implicating someone without any evidence. If that girl wants to be a journalist, she has a lot to learn. Preferably without dragging our family through the mud in the process.”
I breathe out. If she knew I had the flash drive, she would have said so by now. Looks like I’m just guilty by association, wrapped up in this bone Mrs. Talbot has to pick—somewhat understandably—with Martina.
She narrows her eyes at me. “We’ve been through enough,” she says after a beat, when I’m still silent. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Befriending Caden, earning my son’s trust. Then running off and spilling … whatever he’s told you … to the Jenkins girl.”
Whatever he’s told you. So Mrs. Talbot knows that her son has something to hide. But she’s not going to spell it out for me because she doesn’t know how much I know. I breathe a little deeper.
Maybe she just means Caden’s engagement to Zoe, but I doubt it. If Herron Mills found out they were engaged, it would stir up some gossip, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. But if everyone knew about “IdaBeWise,” how Caden was falling for someone else, looking for a way out of his relationship with Zoe right before she disappeared? Mrs. Talbot glares down at me, and there’s something behind the flash of scorn in her eyes. Fear.
Caden’s told me how much his mom loved Zoe. How close they were. But as much love as she had for her son’s fiancée, it’s clear that the person she’ll do anything to protect is Caden. I wish I could tell her that I don’t want Caden slandered either, that that’s exactly why I’ve been talking to Martina and not the police. At least until we know more.
“I should go inside,” I say carefully. I’m not planning to make any promises tonight that I can’t keep. “Do you need help getting back to Windermere?” Aside from the fact that she’s over here barefoot in her nightgown, she seems perfectly coherent—no evidence of the positive symptoms Caden mentioned earlier. But still, I can’t just leave her out here.
“I’m fine,” she snaps. “I’m not a child.”
“Of course not,” I mumble, stepping around her and toward the door. I wonder if Doreen and Caden have noticed she’s missing by now and resolve to shoot Caden a quick text as soon