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Her tone is matter-of-fact, but I don’t miss the look in her eyes. The look that does make her, in this at least, ten years old, begging me to say this isn’t Nate.
I want to say that. God, how I want to say it.
Absolutely. That makes total sense.
I look at the bloodied hair. Would it makemoresense that someone murdered Nate?
I answer slowly, working up to what I hope will sound convincing. “If it was Nate, that means he had to be killed before the Abbases arrived two days ago. Someone would have reported him missing. They’d have notified me.”
“See?” Garrett says.
I continue, “Someonehasbeen staging things to scare guests. I don’t know what the point of that is, but it didn’t seem to be working. They could take things to the next level.”
“The point would be to scareyou,” Kit says. “Yes, it’s the guests who see it, but ultimately, the fallout is on you. On your ability to rent this place. Even, possibly, on your comfort with coming here, especially alone.”
“Money,” Jayla says. “Nowthat’sa motive Kit and I understand.”
“You think someone’s trying to scare me into selling?” I say.
“I’ve had several people contact me directly,” Kit says. “They find the last record of sale and get in touch with me. I refer them to you, with the warning that I don’t think you’re looking to sell. Have they contacted you?”
“I’ve had a half dozen offers in the last two years.”
“For a place like this?” Garrett says. “Yeah, it’s fancy as hell, but it’s the middle of nowhere, without even cell signal.”
“It’s the pandemic,” I say.
His face scrunches. “What?”
“The pandemic. That’s the appeal.” I wave around us. “Perfect isolation, in the event of a global catastrophe. People have started thinking more about that. They want to buy it for some kind of apocalyptic luxury shelter or develop it for those who’d like a vacation home in an isolated community. I’m a divorced schoolteacher—they’re hoping I’m desperate and they can get it cheap. I even had someone who started by offering condolences on the death of my sister.”
“Motherfucking vultures,” Jayla says. “Why didn’t you call and get me on their asses? Or even Kit?”
“Even Kit,” Kit murmurs.
“You know what I mean. You’re not a lawyer, but you’re tough when you need to be, and you’re used to dealing with assholes like this.”
I glance back at that hank of hair to avoid an answer. Why didn’t I reach out to myex-husband? To the former friend who only called me once since my marriage to warn that if I broke Kit’s heart, I’d regret it?
Wasn’thisheart that got broken, Jayla, but you’re right—I sure as hell regret it.
I straighten. “I think this could be our answer. Someone staged the hex circle and the creepy wind chimes hoping I’d freak out and sell. They didn’t know they were dealing with a horror buff who blew it off. So they went hardcore. Scratches in the bedroom closet paired with a severed hand and bloody chunk of hair from an already dead body.”
“Then Sadie saw the hair, flipped out, and ran,” Madison says. “Taking the boat with her.”
Jayla shakes her head. “More like she found the hair, knew it was a prank, and decided I was responsible. Or Laney and me in cahoots, as if we’re all back in high school. She got pissed off, stormed out, and took the boat to teach us a lesson.”
Madison looks at Garrett. “Would she do that? Leave you behind?”
Garrett hesitates. Then his shoulders sag. “Yeah. She lost her temper and wasn’t thinking. Stormed off, like Jayla said. Then she’ll realize she abandonedmeand come back.”
“I checked the door logs,” Kit says. “Someone opened the back door two hours ago and then relocked it. So we agree Sadie left on her own. There is zero evidence to support any other theory, yes, Counselor?”
Jayla nods.
“Detective?” Kit says to Garrett.
Garrett hesitates, but nods.
