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“Holly has proof that Oliver killed Winnie. She said he pushed Winnie down the well.”
Elton froze.
“If I don’t leave Seth, Holly will release the evidence she’s been keeping,” she said. “And murder has no statute of limitations.”
Elton didn’t move. He didn’t even turn back to her. “Why did you go see her?”
“Because we think she hired Pete, so I went to talk to her.”
Elton shook his head. “She’s lying.”
“Her version of what happened matched what Seth told me. If she wasn’t there, if she didn’t see what happened, how would she know? Because none of you have spoken about it to anyone.”
Elton’s throat bobbed.
She blinked as her eyes burned.
“Did you ask Oliver?”
She shook her head.
“We should at least ask him first, because we all just keep doing what we think is the right thing when it really isn’t.” Elton tugged her toward his car.
Clary dug her heels into the ground. “I can’t.” Her tears fell. “I was going to ask, but he started telling me how much he loved my present and how much fun you guys had.” She brushed the tears away with the back of her hand. “He was so happy.”
“And he’ll continue to be once we clear this up.”
Clary wrenched her arm away from Elton. “He doesn’t remember. He doesn’t remember what happens when he sleepwalks, does he? If we tell him, he’ll carry the burden of being a murderer for the rest of his life. Are you going to do that to him?”
Elton’s gaze roamed across her face. “You’re leaving because of Oliver?”
“Because if Oliver hurts, Seth hurts too. You guys are one unit, don’t you get it?” She sucked in a breath and moved several steps back. “You can’t tell Seth about this.”
“He should know.”
“You can’t torture him with having to choose.” Clary shook her head. “This is on me. I got bored. I left. Level your ‘I told you so’ when the time is right.”
“Clary.”
For the first time since meeting Elton, Clary felt like he was finally on her side, like he’d finally seen her for who she was. Seth wouldn’t have to feel stuck between her and Elton anymore.
But it was too late.
She turned away when she couldn’t stop the tears from overflowing.
Uncle David rushed down from the plane when he saw her, and Clary quickly pressed her hands to her face and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.
“Just go,” she said to Elton.
“Seth isn’t going to just let you go.”
“Yes he will.” She sniffed and swallowed hard. When Seth looked at the note she left him, he would let her go. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure Uncle David wasn’t near enough to hear what she was going to say. “Holly has people watching you guys. I’m not sure if it’s just Pete. She seems to know what you all have been up to, and she says she wants you guys to be as miserable as you made her.”
Elton swore.
“Please be kind to Seth. Please take care of him.” She sucked in a breath through her mouth. “I have to go.”
“You can’t.” Elton grabbed her arm. “Clary, please. You can’t go. It’ll destroy him.”
