28
GWEN
Ididn’t understand why that was relevant. Rhiannon and Simone were the only people here who knew my old name. Coming to the ranch meant leaving your old life behind, starting fresh, a blank slate. To me, Alison Kennedy was Delilah and would remain Delilah. It almost felt a bit disrespectful, like a betrayal of Delilah’s trust, for Rhiannon to share her old name.
What kind of trouble could Delilah have been in anyway? Her picture was besideinnocentandnaïvein the dictionary.
“How you doing, Gwen?” Edwards asked.
I had seen him blunt, I’d seen him casual, but there was something different in his eyes this time. A softness, a kindness.
The same applied for the man who stood beside him in a suit. White, middle-aged, with a full head of graying brown hair. He stood right around six feet tall with a frame just as wide as Edwards’, but on the slender side of bulky.
“You two know each other?” the other man asked.
“She’s Sebastian’s girlfriend,” Edwards said.
This was news to me. Sebastian and I hadn’t had that conversation yet.
“Wow, I didn’t know he was seeing anyone.” Outstretching a hand, the man smiled, a certain sadness still in his eyes. “Detective Robert Mitchell. Most folks call me Mitchell though.”
“Nice to meet you, Mitchell,” I said, accepting the shake. “And I was doing alright before this.” I looked between them. “Can I ask what this is about?”
Edwards and Mitchell both glanced at Rhiannon. She stood on my right, chewing her nails. Nothing spilled over, but her dark eyes were glassy already.
When she said nothing, Edwards said, “Maybe you should have a seat.”
“I’m alright,” I said. “I do need to get back to my cabin and let my dog out though, so?—”
“They’re right.” Voice hardly above a whisper, Rhiannon only glanced at me. “You should have a seat, Gwen.”
Ice spread through my chest. The cops telling me to sit down awoke a rebellious teenager in me. But Rhiannon? Rhiannon, I trusted.
Edwards grabbed a couple chairs from up against the wall. He sat in one and offered the other to me.
Hesitant, I may have been, but I took the seat.“Rhiannon mentioned that this was about D—Alison. She’s not in any trouble, is she? Because I just can’t see that. She’s the biggest sweetheart with the kindest soul, and whatever you think she did?—”
“She’s not in any trouble.” A hard swallow bobbed Edwards’ throat. “You guys were close though, right? I saw you together at Light Up Night, and Rhiannon mentioned you kind of took her under your wing here.”
“Yeah, we’re friends. Really good friends.” Shaking my head, I squinted at him, and then at Mitchell who stood behind him. The way I’d grown up, I’d had more interactions with cops than I could count. Never had I seen any who looked so… sad.
“If she’s not in trouble,” I said, “then what’s this about?”
Edwards’ eyes stayed on mine, expression still gentle, but I could see the hesitancy in the way he opened and shut his mouth. It took a clear of his throat before he said, “She passed away this morning.”
I laughed. Obviously, that was a joke. She was eighteen. Healthy. Able-bodied. Completely normal, aside from her circumstances before staying here.
No one else laughed.
When I glanced at Rhiannon, she wiped a tear away.
“Wait, what?” Still certain they were confused, or joking, or lying, I shook my head. “No. No, she didn’t. We just had dinner together last night. She was fine. She was completely fine.”
“I’m really sorry for your loss.” Edwards frowned. “Nobody ever expects something like this.”
“No, because you’re wrong.” I shook my head so hard, I was surprised it didn’t fall off. “No, she’s at the daycare down the street. That’s where she’s working now. I’m sure we can walk there and you can see her, and you’ll know?—”
“She didn’t show this morning.” Rhiannon’s voice came out soft, quiet. “I did a welfare check too, and she wasn’t in her apartment. Then I checked the logs, and her key card was used to exit last night. I texted, and I called, but I haven’t heard anything. One of the girls at the daycare said she borrowed her car last night.”
