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She smiled, said she would be back. A minute later she was, with a tall glass of ice water and Madelyn. “Justin is in town getting some supplies,” Robin explained. “We’re going to stay a few more days.”
Kara drank half the water, put the glass down on a coaster on the glass coffee table.
“This is a small town, I’m sure you heard about what happened yesterday, but I wanted to make sure you have accurate information and answer any questions.”
Madelyn sat down on the couch next to the chair Kara was sitting in.
“You are kind,” she said. She looked pale and skinny—like she’d lost weight in the week since the explosion.
Robin sat down next to Madelyn and took her hand. Robin said, “The sheriff came by late last night. We know about Deputy Anderson. It’s—truly, it’s almost unbelievable.”
“Senseless,” Madelyn whispered. “It’s not fair.”
She at least sounded a little better than she had when Kara was here with Catherine.
“No, it’s not fair,” Kara said. Life wasn’t fair, never would be. “But she’s dead. I wish she was in prison, but this way you won’t have to go through a trial and newspaper headlines and media bullsh—” She cleared her throat. “Maybe you’ll find some closure knowing what happened.”
“Maybe,” Madelyn said.
“I don’t know if you can tell us,” Robin said, “but Justin heard that Damon Avila was arrested for the bombing. Did he help her?”
Kara had a text from Matt that Avila had confessed to five murders. “We initially arrested him because of a bomb found in his house, but we believe that Deputy Anderson was attempting to frame him. Neil Devereaux, one of the other victims on theWater Lily, had been investigating Avila for a cold-case murder. Neil was retired, but he was obsessed about the deaths of two college students. Avila confessed to the murders that Neil suspected him of and denied any involvement or knowledge in the bombings. At this point, we believe that Marcy Anderson acted alone.”
No one said anything and Kara wondered if she’d said too much. She finished the water, put the glass back down. Looked at the painting above the fireplace, the one of the mountains and Pierce and Madelyn having a picnic. They loved each other. Kara didn’t know what that even felt like, if she would ever know what it felt like. If she would even know... Love seemed so foreign to her.
Except when she saw the love in Madelyn for her husband. In Cal for his fiancée. In Justin for his father, in Cal and Jamie for their daughter. The way Pete Dunlap spoke about his daughters, about his dead wife. Maybe it was something she would never have.
Maybe love was something she didn’t deserve.
She said, “I need to be going, but if you or Justin have any questions, you can call me and I’ll find the answers.”
Robin got up to walk her to the door, but Madelyn waved her off and escorted Kara herself. She said, “You were very kind and straightforward with me from the beginning, and I appreciate it. Everyone has been walking on eggshells around me. I finally sent my mother away. Told her to go to my house in Bellingham and start planning for the funeral.” Her voice cracked, but her eyes remained dry. “Anyway, thank you for being honest. So I’m going to ask you this: Did you know when you were here with that woman that she was responsible?”
“No,” Kara said. “Not then.”
“When did you suspect her? Or did you?”
Kara thought back to what it was. Carefully, she said, “It wasn’t any one thing,” Kara said. “But she said something the morning after we were here the first time, and what she said didn’t quite ring true. So I watched her. Listened. Investigated. I didn’t suspect her of the bombing then... That took another day. But I was suspicious that she had a secret, that she was up to something. And I followed that doubt until I had proof, one way or the other.”
Madelyn stared at her, and Kara couldn’t quite tell what she was thinking. “You never thought I was involved.”
“No.”
“You’re the only one. I think...I think Justin even had doubts at the beginning.”
“I think,” Kara said, “that Justin is grieving like you are, that he wanted answers like you did, and he knows you loved his father. And if he doesn’t know that? He’s an idiot.”
Madelyn’s lips twitched up just a fraction. “Thank you for everything. And I am glad she’s dead. She doesn’t deserve to breathe when she killed Pierce and everyone else on that boat.”
Kara couldn’t disagree.
40
That night, Matt convinced the team to have an early dinner at the Fish & Brew. Pete Dunlap was behind the bar. He was another one who looked like he hadn’t slept much lately.
Kara excused herself and went up to the bar. “Hey. You don’t mind if we’re here, do you? I know this must be awkward.”
Pete shook his head. “Tequila?”
