She pulled the door shut. “I do.”
For a few heartbeats, I just looked at her.
“Are you judging me for that?” She propped her hands on her hips. “Do you find it hypocritical or something?”
“No,” I said. “Not at all.”
“Then what the hell is that face for?”
“Respect.” I shrugged. “Mobs and gangs have been buying local cops for decades, maybe centuries. It’s about time a good person does it for good reason.”
A half smile. “Goodnight, Gwen.”
Maybe it would’ve been a better night a few weeks ago if I had just told Rhiannon the truth. Maybe no one would’ve worried about going to jail for David’s murder, and I wouldn’t have thrown out my back lifting him into the damn trunk.
“The exact same story,”I said into the phone. I propped it between my shoulder and ear, prying open the burner phone from its box. “You gave Edwards the exact same story as Rhiannon?”
“Didn’t miss a beat,” Simone said on the other end. “It’s fine, Gwen. I know Edwards. He didn’t suspect anything.”
“Why would he? No one’s going to suspect I killed the guy.”
Still tearing at the plastic that lined the burner phone, to no avail, I tossed it onto the couch. This job would require scissors. I padded to the kitchen and grabbed a pair from a drawer.
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” I continued, returning to the living room.
“What the hell else is there to worry about then?”
“If his family filed a missing persons report, then no one would have connected him to Black Pines yet.”
Shoving the scissors around the plastic wrapping, I chopped at the case until it peeled open. “But now, he’s been connected to this place. They could be looking for him. God only knows what they’ll find if they look hard enough.”
“Whatcouldthey find?” Simone lowered her voice. “I thought you said you took care of everything.”
The cardboard box emerged from the open plastic casing, which I tossed on the couch. “I did. I think.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Terror tinged Simone’s voice. “Youthink? This isn’t something you justthinkabout, Gwen. If you were gonna think about it, maybe you should have just called the cops.”
“Maybeyoushould have told Rhiannon in the first place. Then neither of us would be dealing with this right now. Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve.”
“I’m sorry.” I could hear her pout through the phone. “I’m not trying to point fingers.”
Running my hands through my hair, I let out a deep breath and lowered myself to the sofa. Honey hopped up beside me. Stroking my fingers through her fur slowed my racing heart.
“I’m sorry, too. I know why you didn’t. I’m just stressed.”
“And I get it.” Her tone sounded softer now, calmer. “But I don’t think we have to worry. We’re so close to the Canadian border, Gwen. I’m pretty sure if you walk through the woods around the property long enough, you’ll end up in Canada.That’s probably the assumption. David was a bad dude. It makes complete sense that he would’ve made a run for it.”
Was that common? American criminals running to Canada? Everyone had heard of them running to Mexico or Columbia, but Canada wasn’t known for harboring American fugitives.
“Alright.” Prying the cell phone from the plastic innards, I re-situated mine between my shoulder and ear. “Alright, until further notice, we go back to what we’ve been doing. Pretending it never happened.”
“You don’t sound eager about that.”
“I’m noteagerfor any of this.” I rubbed my eyes with my thumb and forefinger. “It’s just—I thought we were in the clear. Now, I’m worried we’re not. But you’re right. There’s a good chance no one will ever suspect a thing.”
So long as they didn’t find a body, they would never be able to convict me anyway.
“I think we’re fine,” Simone insisted. “Just relax. Have a drink, read a book, and go lie down. You’ll feel better in the morning.”
