Page 277 of Taken Away

There was nowhere left to hide.

She looked at Burke.

Then slowly back at Aubrey.

When she spoke again, it wasn’t to the sheriff.

It was to her daughter.

“I left my phone in Florida. I knew if it stayed there, everyone would believe I’d never left.”

Aubrey stared at her.

“I drove through the night because I couldn’t let her do it.”

“Do what?” Aubrey whispered.

“Leave Blackwood to you.”

The words seemed to echo inside the room.

“I couldn’t bear it,” Anne said. “I couldn’t let her spend thirty years taking everything from me and then make herself the hero by giving it back.”

Tears streamed down her face.

"She already had Harold. She had the life that should've been mine. Then she wanted to give you everything."

Anne’s shoulders shook.

“I’d rather you had nothing…”

The words barely escaped her lips.

“…than spend the rest of your life believing Harold and Mabel were the ones who gave you everything.”

Aubrey recoiled as though she’d been struck.

“My God…”

“I thought if I could stop the will,” Anne whispered. “If I could make her understand…”

She covered her mouth.

“I wanted her to admit she was sorry.”

Silence settled over the room.

“Instead, she looked at me with pity.”

Anne closed her eyes.

“I didn’t go there to kill her.”

She swallowed hard.

“I swear to God, I didn’t.”

Anne looked only at her.