Page 9 of Trust No One

Chapter Five

Raine

Saturday, October 17, 2026, 3:00 a.m.

“Are you at Hale House alone?” Judson asked. “Did Ken come with you?”

“Ken and I are getting a divorce.” Easier to say the words now. No hitches. No embarrassment.

Judson searched my face. Looking for grief or pain? Good luck. I was all out. “When did you move back to town?”

“Last night. Grabbed a few supplies.”

“How is it?”

Mostly drinking wine. Avoiding darkened corners and ghosts. “It’s fine.”

Brown eyes narrowed. But he didn’t press. “Right.”

The odd, awkward silence begged for an explanation. Last he’d heard, Ken and I were happily ever after.

Instead, I called Edith’s number again. Still no answer. “Gabe is at his mother’s house?”

“Supposed to be.” He called the officer on duty and asked the same question. As he listened, his frown deepened. He ended the call. “Gabe just left Edith’s house. The officer is following him here.”

“And Molly?”

“With her grandmother.”

Gabe’s lack of urgency wasn’t just suspicious. It was unacceptable. He should be here. Dealing with doctors. Holding his wife’s hand. Answering Judson’s questions.

Frustration tightened Judson’s jaw. Gabe was testing the bounds of his patience. “I’ll let you know when Gabe arrives.”

“Think Gabe had anything to do with this?” Police often investigated the victim’s spouse or romantic partner.

“It’s no secret Gabe’s business has financial problems. He owes half the town for supplies or wages.”

“So, he poisoned his wife?”

“I don’t know anything for sure.”

But he had theories. “Why poison Maria? She’s not a wealthy woman. She’s a nurse.”

“She’s also a Hale. And the Hale land is worth a fortune.”

“The Hale lands are in a trust. I’m the sole beneficiary.” Maria’s lawsuit contested the ironclad setup, and even in the event of her death, Gabe could uphold the suit on Molly’s behalf.

“If you die—who gets the property?”

The conversation was morbid. But criminal cases didn’t care about indelicate issues. “Once my divorce is final and Ken has no claim on my assets, it would go to Molly.”

“Not Maria?”

“We haven’t spoken in over a year.”

“Why?”

“Money. She wanted another loan.” Hales didn’t typically air family problems. “I’ve made her several large loans. When I asked for an accounting of the monies, she refused. Now she’s suing the estate.”