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I looked at him, eyes widening. “What?”
“Ask her,” he said. “She’s not working at the house this afternoon, because I told her she could have the day off in case she wanted to do something with you. So she should be at home. I can drive you over there rightnow.”
I nodded slowly. He was right—we weren’t going to get anywhere by sitting around and speculating. I needed to go to my mom and ask her for thetruth.
“If I’m going to talk to her about it, I should do it without you there,” I said, sitting up straight. “I think she’s more likely to open up and tell me everything if it’s justme.”
“That’s true. But I don’t want to leave you alone. Just incase.”
“What if I call you before I go in?” I said. “I could set my phone to loudspeaker, switch off the screen, and leave it sitting on the table while I talk to Mom. That way you can hear our conversation, and if things turn bad, you can comein.”
Hunter nodded. “Thatworks.”
“I’ll call her and tell her I’m coming over now,” I said, reaching for mycell.
Mom picked up on the third ring. “Hi, sweetie,” she said. “I was just about to callyou!”
“Youwere?”
“Yes. I have the day off work today, so I was going to see if you wanted me to drive over to Royal Falls and spend some time with you,” she said. “I figured we could have a nice girly day. Watch some movies, eat our bodyweight in cake, and try to forget everything for a little while. What do youthink?”
“That sounds really nice, Mom, but I’m actually in Silvercreek rightnow.”
“Oh.Why?”
“I wanted to come to the house to see you and Mignon. We can just have some coffee and hang out there,right?”
“Sure, we can do that,” she said. “But I only have instant coffee. None of that fancy French stuff the Connerys have at theirplace.”
“That’s fine. I’ll see you in a fewminutes.”
I directed Hunter to my little childhood home on the outskirts of town. He parked around the corner, just in case Mom came outside and happened to seehim.
I called his phone, set mine to loudspeaker mode, and muted his end of the call so no outside sounds would get in and make my mom suspicious. Then I slipped my phone into my pocket along with the necklace. “Just text me if you want me to say or ask anything in particular while I’m in there,” I said. “I’ll check my phone every few minutes to make sure the call is still active, so I’ll see itthen.”
“Okay.” He leaned over to give me a quick kiss. “Are you sure you’re all right withthis?”
“Yes. I have to do it alone. But…” I bit my bottom lip and looked down at my lap. “I have to ask you something before Igo.”
“Sure.”
I swallowed hard. “What’ll happen to us if it turns out she actually did it?” I said in a lowvoice.
Hunter slid two fingers under my chin and gently pulled it up so that I had to look at him again. “It won’t change how I feel about you,” he said. “Not onebit.”
“How is that possible?” I asked. “How could you ever look at me the same way again if you knew my mom hurt yoursister?”
“We aren’t our parents, Laney. I mean, look at mine. My dad’s awaiting trial for running a schoolgirl sex ring, and my mom practically lives in luxury rehab centers,” he said. “Then look at me. I don’t touch drugs, and all the sex rings I operate are perfectlylegal.”
I groaned. “Now really isn’t the time forjokes.”
“Sorry. I’m just trying to make you feel better,” he said softly, rubbing my knee. “But seriously… whatever happens in there won’t change anything between us. I loveyou.”
“I love you too,” I said, lips curving up in a faint smile despite myfear.
I finally worked up the courage to get out of the car and head around the corner. A couple of minutes later, I let myself into the house with my key and called out to my mom. “Hey, Mom. I’mhere!”
“Hi, sweetie!” she shouted from the kitchen. “I’m just making the coffee. I’ll bring it out to the living room in aminute.”
