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She tried to smile, but it wobbled on her lips.
“Do you two want to talk in here?” Laura asked. “Or I can make a fresh pot of coffee.”
“Either’s fine, but I’d love some coffee,” Owen said and lingered in the doorway.
“We can head into the kitchen. No reason to bring everything in here.” Marie stood and clasped her hands in front of her waist. “Is Nora okay?”
Beaming, Laura nodded. “Her and Isla are already best friends, and Amelia is loving keeping them both entertained. Would you like me to bring her down?”
A part of her wanted to say yes. Not having Nora with her was like missing a limb. But she’d rather shield her from the heavy and stressful conversation to come, even if she was too young to understand. “As long as she’s fine upstairs with you and your mom, let them have fun.”
“Holler if you change your mind, and Owen, you know how to work the machine. Grab whatever you need.”
Marie followed Owen into the kitchen and sat on the tufted chair situated around the table. She loved this room. The dark wood of the floor and brass knobs on the cabinets gave the space warmth while still being modern. Light flooded in from the window above the porcelain sink. The salty scent of bacon hung heavy in the air from the BLTs she’d shared with new friends.
Owen moved through the kitchen, grabbing what he needed. As the machine chugged to life, he faced her. Dark circles hung under his eyes. “I’ve got every deputy in the county looking for Bill. No one has seen him or his truck.”
Unease burrowed into her chest and she rubbed her collarbone, hoping to relieve some of the pressure.
“Do you know a woman named Erica Zyler?”
She crinkled her forehead and tried to recall the name. A few people ventured into their crappy rental, but no one she’d spoken with. She’d preferred to stay out of sight and out of mind. People tended to speak more freely when observers weren’t around, and she needed to gather as much evidence against Bill as possible to free herself from the chains binding her to him. “The name doesn’t ring a bell.”
Owen turned back to the now silent coffee machine, filled two mugs, and settled across from her at the table. “We believe she’s the woman Bill brought back to your house last night, and the woman who was found dead this morning.”
A shudder ripped through her. She covered her mouth with her hand and prayed she wouldn’t be sick. “I shouldn’t have left her. I should have done more to help her.” Emotion tightened her throat and tears rimmed her eyes.
“You can’t blame yourself. Because of you, now we know who she is. But we need to figure out why your boyfriend would kill her. You mentioned he’s hit you. Does he have other violent tendencies you’re aware of?”
She lowered her hand to her throat and cleared away the tears. “He’s not my boyfriend. Our relationship is…complicated.”
Owen nodded, but curiosity clouded his eyes, making the green overshadow the brown.
Ignoring his unasked question, she focused on answering the one he’d verbalized. “Like I said before, Bill has a temper when he’s drunk. He gets off on smacking women around, proving how powerful he is.” She rolled her eyes and snorted. “Power—and control—are very important to him.”
“How so?” Owen leaned forward and kept his gaze locked on her, his steaming coffee untouched in front of him.
Marie took a deep breath. Best to dive in from the beginning. “I’ve known Bill most my life. Everyone knows everyone in the town we grew up in.”
Owen grunted and settled back in his seat, grabbing his coffee. “Sounds like Water’s Edge.”
Marie smiled. Water’s Edge did remind her of home. “Bill didn’t come from a good home. His father abused him, and he spent most of his adolescent years trying to prove he was stronger, smarter than the dad who abandoned him.”
Owen bobbed his head as he sipped his coffee but didn’t interrupt.
“My dad took off when I was little, so I understood him. That bonded us in a way and brought us together. We dated all through high school.” She dropped her gaze and stared into the dark liquid in the white ceramic mug Owen had set on the table. Her nerves were on edge enough without adding caffeine.
Owen raised one brow and returned his mug to the table. “What happened? If you two haven’t dated in years, why move with him to a town where you don’t know anyone?”
A war waged inside her, and she debated how much to tell him. She wanted him to understand why she was with a man like Bill, but as stupid as it sounded, she didn’t want him to think less of her by exposing all the horrors of her past.
She weighed her words carefully. “My mom found herself in some trouble, and Bill was the only person who could get her out of it. His only stipulation was I had to agree to leave town with him. As soon as I agreed, he took me away from my friends and family. He’s kept me as isolated as possible—especially once Nora was in the picture. No jobs, no friends…I don’t even have a phone to stay connected with anyone.”
Owen narrowed his gaze and worked his jaw back and forth. “What kind of trouble was your mom in? What could make you leave your home?”
Sucking in a deep breath, she summoned her courage. She needed to lay all her cards on the table. “My mom is a drug addict. Has been for as long as I can remember. She was put on probation last year and things got better, but then Bill showed me a video of her selling drugs. If he turns in the video, she’d go to jail for a long time.”
She barreled on before she lost her nerve. “I had to save my mom and protect my sister. I just needed to bide my time until I could dig up enough dirt on Bill. If I leave him, he’ll go back for my family. He’ll try to take Nora from me. He’s threatened to do horrible things, and I can’t let that happen. But if I can make him pay, if I can find a way to get him behind bars where he can’t hurt anyone else, then Nora and I can walk away.”
