“Thank you.”
Of course, Billie already knew but it was good to know that the Farrington women’s vow of silence was still in effect.
It was time to come clean though. We couldn’t keep asking people to keep this secret for us. I didn’t even know why we felt like it needed to be a secret.
“But Dex…” She leaned in again, and I fought the urge to step back from the smell. “You can’t keep secrets forever in this town. You know that, don’t you?”
It was like she could read my mind.
“I know.”
“People talk. They see things. And in Willowbrook, everyone knows everyone’s business eventually.” She adjusted Titus again. This time I swear one of his eyes looked to the left but the other stayed completely still. “I’m not saying this to scare you. I’m saying it because I care about you. And about Leigh. And about those boys who think of you as a brother.”
“I know, Mrs. Shulster.”
“Do you?” She studied me with eyes that were sharper than most people gave her credit for. “Because the longer you wait to tell them, the worse it gets. Secrets have a way of festering. Of turning into something bigger than they need to be.”
“We’re planning to tell them. Soon,” I said, already realising that I was admitting to something I wasn’t supposed to be.
“Good. That’s good.” She smiled, patted my arm one more time. “Well, I should get going. Titus needs his afternoon constitutional.” She held up the purse. Titus still hadn’t moved. Still smelled like death.
She was definitely walking around with a dead dog.
“Mrs. Shulster, is Titus... okay?”
“Oh, he’s fine! Just sleepy. He’s seventeen, you know. Needs his rest.” She kissed the top of his head. Titus remained motionless, and I somehow resisted the urge to gag.
Yep. Definitely dead.
“Right. Well, have a good walk.”
“You too, dear. And Dex?” She paused at the end of the aisle. “Be happy. You deserve it. Don’t let fear keep you from something good.”
Then she was gone, trailed by the faint smell of death and old pennies.
I stood there in the hardware aisle, heart pounding, supplies forgotten.
Someone had seen us. People were talking. Mrs. Shulster knew, which meant it was only a matter of time before the entire Wednesday Lunch Club knew, which meant half the town would know by Sunday.
We’d been so careful. Or at least we’d thought we had been.
But in a small town, careful wasn’t careful enough.
I grabbed my supplies on autopilot, paid without really seeing the cashier, and headed out to my truck.
Once inside, I sat with my hands on the steering wheel, trying to breathe normally.
I needed to tell Leigh. Needed to warn her that our secret was getting out.
But more than that, I needed to convince her that we had to tell her family. Before someone else did. Before it became the kind of secret that felt like a betrayal.
I pulled out my phone and called her.
“Hey,” she answered on the second ring, sounding happy. “What’s up?”
“I ran into Mrs. Shulster at the hardware store.”
“Billie’s aunt? The one with the dead dog that she insists is just sleeping? Honestly, I can’t wait to meet her. She’s the stuff of legend and I really need a picture of the dog for Wren.”
