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“I don’t know what to believe. Aaron didn’t seem capable of...” She swept her arm over the table. “Well, any of this, when we got married.”
Was it that much of a reach to think he’d killed before they’d moved there? Back in North Carolina or when he was growing up?
“The FBI is bringing in ground-penetrating radar and other resources to survey the land around the cabin for additional bodies.” Ginny gathered the photos and put them back in the envelope.
One question hit Lila and wouldn’t retreat. “Did you figure out who owns the property?”
“Aaron.”
An off-pitch humming started in Lila’s ears. She inhaled a few times to make sure she wasn’t screaming out loud. “How is that possible?”
“It looks like he bought it under a corporate name years ago. Used trust money to do it.”
Tobias sat forward, right on the edge of the couch. “How did Jared not know that?”
“I intend to ask that question.” Ginny’s gaze switched from Tobias to Lila. “But I do wonder how you, as his wife, didn’t.”
“I had no idea. I have nothing to do with that trust.” That was the truth. The money wasn’t hers and never would be. Aaron had repeated that tidbit so many times during her marriage that she heard his mocking tone in her sleep.
“You have to admit that excuse sounds convenient.”
Ginny was a smart woman, but this part she’d gotten dead wrong. “Honestly? Nothing about being married to Aaron Payne was convenient.”
GINNY STAYED FORanother fifteen minutes. She walked through more questions and doubled back to some old favorites. Lila struggled to concentrate through all of it.
When Ginny finally left, Lila headed for the bathroom down the hall. She shut the door with a bang and turned on the faucet. For a few minutes, she stood there watching the water twirl toward the drain.
She bent over, intending to splash water on her face and revive her body before she broke down. She got as far as resting her elbows on the sink. Her head fell forward; the cold water trickled down the side of her hair and dripped onto her arm.
She felt nothing. Her mind protected her by going blissfully blank. She doubted she could conjure up a rational thought if she had to.
Aaron...
Her knees buckled, and her body slowly sank. Her butt hit the tile, and she turned around to lean her back against the cabinet. She could hear the running water but didn’t have the energy to turn it off.
The buzzing started in her pocket. Her phone. More news or some reassurance from Christina. Either way, Lila ignored it. So few people knew her private cell number but she didn’t want to speak with any of them. Not right now.
She’d married a twisted man. Slept with him. Vowed to stay with him. She’d missed every sign and skipped every opportunity to stop him.
This was Amelia all over again. Some piece of her missed seeing the worst in men.
Unable to keep her eyes open, she tipped her head back and rested it against the cabinet. Desperate to drift off to sleep but unable to because of the self-loathing running rampant through her, she just sat there. The cool tile numbed her, and the need to throw up passed, but she wasn’t sure how she’d get up without help. All of her reserves were used up and dried out.
Her phone buzzed again, reminding her of the unread text. She reached for her cell and opened her eyes just long enough to read the screen.
We need to talk.
She was wide-awake now.
Chapter Fifty-Three
GINNY STARED AT JARED ACROSS THE INTERROGATION ROOMtable. He sat by himself, insisting he didn’t need a lawyer. He had motive—the trust. He might have money, but they were talking about millions more as Aaron’s heir. Ginny also suspected his feelings for Lila weren’t quite as brotherly as he pretended. His rush to defend her seemed ingrained.
As they sat there, Pete and Charles watched from the other side of the two-way mirror. That added a level of pressure that only made her more determined. Jared had always been rock solid, said and did the right thing. She wanted to test him now.
“Your brother slept with students. The evidence suggests he hunted and killed Karen Blue. We now know the DNA under her fingernails is his. There’s also evidence of other victims.” When he opened his mouth to say something, she talked right over him. “You really expect me to believe all of this is news to you?”
“He’s not...” Jared exhaled as he dropped his arms on the table and leaned on them.
