Page 88 of Death on Gallows Path

“Not exactly at me. In general. She went upstairs, so I figured she wouldn’t care that instead of walking them right away, I let both dogs into the run. They needed it so bad. Lucifer was wild. Izolde was edgy.”

“You think because Izolde saw how Zoley got the bruises?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything about that or—”

Before Willow spiraled, Clara inserted, “Which day was that last week?”

“Wednesday.”

“You’d seen signs before that of Zoley and Damon being involved, right?” I asked.

I could hear experts yelling leading question, but we weren’t in court and this girl needed to be led.

“Like see them together or something? No way.”

“You’re smart, Willow. You wouldn’t have to see them in bed to pick up on what was going on.”

“It was a feeling . . . I was never sure. Never.”

“How about Damon and anyone else?”

Relieved of the burden of not committing herself on the Zoley-Damon relationship, her head popped up. “So, there was somebody else?”

I flicked a look at Clara.

She immediately asked, “What made you think there was?”

“That guy who tackled Damon in the garage said—” She caught herself enough to go vague “—things.”

“A name?”

Willow shook her head.

“Or a relationship? Like . . . my cousin or something like that?”

Willow shook her head.

“Did you ever see another woman with Damon?”

“Not to recognize her. Really, it could have been Pammy, though the walk seemed different— But it was fast. Just a glimpse, an impression.”

“Go back to the man who tackled Damon. You have no idea who the man is? If you saw him afterward it would be natural to find out his name and . . .”

Not only was Willow shaking her head, but she was eyeing Clara in a way that said the Clara magic wasn’t operating.

I asked in the most neutral tone ever, “Was Bryon at the Georger house when you got there Wednesday?”

Despite my neutrality, she went into skittering mode. “I don’t know. How could I know—?”

“His vehicle?”

“Oh.” She partially relaxed. “No, it wasn’t there. Wasn’t in the driveway and I take Izolde out through the garage and it wasn’t there, either.”

“Did you see or hear anything that might connect to the bruises?” Clara asked.

“No. Nothing.”

I believed her.