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“Since when do you follow orders?”
But she did. That was the point. In the past she’d paid for it. A millionaire’s wife had paid for it. She’d approached this case a different way, which made walking away so difficult. “I’m not losing my job over Aaron and Jared Payne. I wouldn’t lose it for Lila either.”
“That’s not what I thought you’d say.”
“I’ve learned my lesson.” She almost smiled. She could imagine her husband’s reaction if she tried to sell that line to him.
“Nah.” Pete shook his head. “You’ll be watching the case.”
“Of course.” And a weeklong break would give her the opportunity to learn one last thing about Lila and her life before she let the case go.
Chapter Sixty-One
Eleven Days Later
GINNY MADE IT MORE THAN A WEEK BEFORE HEADING BACK TOLila’s house. She thought people should praise her for that. Lila’s neighbor stalked across the lawn and met her before she reached the door. “You need to leave her alone.”
The only thing that kept her from yelling was the possibility that Charles would find out about the visit and fire her. “I’m just here for a final wrap-up. No questions.” She held up a hand in mock surrender. “I promise.”
“If you want to help, clear them off the street.” Cassie stared at the media vans and press congregating at the end of Lila’s driveway.
They would move on soon, enraptured by some new horror, and leave Lila alone. But she could help the process along. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Cassie rolled her eyes and stomped away. “Yeah, sure.”
When Ginny looked back at the house, she saw the frontdoor was open and Lila stood there. She couldn’t remember a time during this whole mess where she’d stood on her front porch.
Ginny walked up the driveway toward Lila. The first thing she spied was the sign on the lawn. The next was the open curtains on the front windows.
“Visiting with my neighbors?” Lila sounded amused at the idea.
“You’re moving?” Not what Ginny had intended her first question to be, but it worked.
“Being here is not exactly comforting.”
Ginny smiled at the sarcasm in Lila’s voice. “It’s hard being a hero.”
“Tell that to my cracked rib.” Lila put her hand against her side.
“I heard about the injuries.” Broken rib. Dislocated shoulder. Shock. It had all been in the medical report. “You okay?”
“It’s one last gift from the Payne brothers.” Lila stepped back and gestured for Ginny to go first. “Come in.”
The house was so quiet. No podcast or music blaring. Boxes piled everywhere. Garbage bags filled and closed, waiting to go outside or be donated. Ginny wasn’t sure of the contents, so she could only guess.
She waited until Lila stepped into the kitchen to talk again. “Are you worried about being able to sell the house after everything that’s happened? It has quite a history.”
Lila put a used coffee cup in the sink, likely the neighbor’s.She got a clean one out of the cabinet. “I was concerned at first, but apparently there is a thriving market for people who have an unhealthy interest in serial killers.”
“That can’t be true.”
She refilled her mug. “We listed three days ago and Christina has received two offers so far, one from out of town.”
“Damn.”
“My life story is very lucrative, usually for other people.” She held the pot up. “Coffee?”
Ginny nodded then held on to the mug to make pouring easier. “Meaning?”
