And she wasn’t giving him either.
She began to type.
Not about abandonment.
Not about blizzards.
She wrote about survival.
She wrote about patience.
Let him think he was steering her.
He wanted a confession.
He would get a story.
But it would not be the one he expected.
25
Interview Room — Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
By the time they got Keller in, the snowplows had carved narrow lanes through the main roads. Anything off the highway was still a mess. Keller sat across from them, shoulders rigid, eyes red-rimmed. His coat was still damp at the cuffs, like he’d come straight off the road and into the chair.
Burke opened the file.
“Professor Keller. We need to clear up inconsistencies from your first statement.”
Keller’s mouth flattened. “Inconsistencies.” He huffed out a breath. “Roads are barely passable. So let’s not waste time.”
Tessa didn’t blink. “You said your relationship with Lauren Pierce was professional.”
“It was,” Keller said. “At first.”
Burke nodded once. “Then what changed?”
Keller looked down at his hands. “After Benton, she wasn’t herself. She was humiliated. I tried to help.”
“You slept with her,” Tessa said.
A long pause.
“Yes,” Keller admitted. “Once.”
“Once?” Scout asked quietly from the wall.
Keller’s brow furrowed. “Twice.”
Tessa leaned forward. “You told her you were separated.”
“I thought I was,” Keller snapped. Then softer: “My wife and I were… done.”
“But you weren’t divorced,” Tessa said.
“No.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Melissa got pregnant. It complicated things.”
Burke flipped a page. “Did your wife find out about Lauren?”
