“Okay, okay,” I down the rest of my hot cocoa, and then chunk it into the trash can on the way to the entrance. “What’s the purpose of the maze?” I glance over at Macey, who shrugs.
“I think it’s like the only thing they could come up with.”
I nod, eyeing the eerie shadow hanging over the decrepit wood sign, the wordsStart Herepainted across it in blue paint. I stare at the sign for a few moments, just before a hand brushes my arm.
I whip my head around to see a pair of shockingly hazel eyes, my stomach instantly lurching violently. I haven’t seen the woman since the funeral, and I hoped to never run into her again.Since when does she even come to these things?
“Rue,” Nancy Zendetti says, her expression set. Her fake blonde hair falls to her shoulders, and as much as I hate it, I see Matthew in her immediately—the nose, lips, eyes, and just…aura. “I heard you were back in town but didn’t believe it.”
“Um, hi…” I glance to Macey, who’s standing wide-eyed. “We were actually just about to go to the maze.”
“Well, that’s fun,” she deadpans. “Matthew loved this festival every year.”
“Yeah,” I say flatly, noting the way her lips flatline. “He did.” I take a step toward the entrance, but Nancy just follows.
“I’ve actually been trying to get in touch with you,” she keeps it up, her voice sharper now. “I know it’s been a lot of years, but there was something I really wanted to discuss with you.”
“Um… yeah, maybe some other time?—”
“We’ve sent multiple letters to the man who murdered Matthew,” she says, her voice breathless. “And he neverresponded. I think he would respond to you. I just want him to say his apology so we can get some closure.”
I stop, turning to face her. “I’m sorry, but one, I’m trying tomove onfrom what happened, and no amount of letters written to some murderer is going to change that, and also…” My voice trails off. “Why the hell would he write back tome?”
She makes a face, like I’m a complete idiot. “Well, you know him. That’s why.”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t.” I stalk off toward the entrance, my stomach rolling. I have no fucking clue what she’s talking about, but I know for damn sure that she’s wrong. I’ve looked at the man’s mugshot on the TV.
I didn’t know him. Idon’tknow him.
“Rue,” Nancy calls after me, but I keep heading for the maze entrance. “Were you not childhood friends with Noah Anders?”
I freeze, coming to a sudden halt. I turn back to her. “What did you just say?”
“Come on,” Macey grabs my arm. “You don’t want to get lost in the small-town conspiracies around here.”
I jerk my arm from Macey, now fully invested. “What about Noah?”
“We found Grandma Zendetti’s ring on the shore last year,” Nancy’s eyes laser in on mine. “Why would the ring Matthew gave you—that you supposedly buried with him without our consent—suddenly be found near where he was murdered?”
My mouth grows dry. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You threw the ring in the lake, didn’t want to admit it, and lied right before they lowered his casket, Rue,” Nancy’s voice shakes, as the volume rises. “You told me you put it in there, and youdidn’t.”
I blink a few times, my chest heaving. “I don’t remember that.”
“You little gaslighting bitch,” Nancy storms toward me, and Macey steps in between us.
“I understand that it’s triggering to see Rue home,” Macey holds her hands up, trying to stop her approach. “But she didn’t do anything. Matthew’s death hurt her, too.”
“Oh, right,” Nancy glares at me, jabbing her pointer finger past Macey. “I guess it’s just fuckingcoincidenceyour little childhood trailer trash boyfriend is the one who stabbed my son to death.”
I can’t process what I’m hearing.
“Fuck you, Rue. Iknowyou’re not some innocent little angel,” Nancy seethes. “But I still used to think you were better than that.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Macey threads her arm through mine more firmly, and starts dragging me toward the maze. “Go home, Nancy. You’re talking nasty in front of children.”
“I’ll get the logs,” Nancy’s voice grows distant, as Macey drags me toward the entrance. “I’ll bet you visited that piece of shit more than once. I’ll figure it out.”
