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Weirder still?
Her sudden case of motormouth about South Carolina.
Massaging her forehead, she wandered back to the couch. Sank into the cushions.
What on earth had prompted her to talk about that experience with a man she didn’t even like, when it was hard enough to discuss it with someone she felt comfortable confiding in, like Dr. Oliver? Or her therapist in South Carolina.
It made no sense.
Except ... there was something about Jack Tucker that instilled trust, hinted at a compassionate heart. The man also exuded honesty and integrity and decency.
She punched the pillow she’d gripped during her tell-all session and shoved it into the corner of the couch.
It wasn’t hard to see how a woman could fall for the handsome detective. Or why Clair had extolled his virtues during the four months they’d dated.
So maybe he was a good guy in general. But wanting a person to be someone they weren’t was flat-out wrong.
And in Clair’s case, it had also been deadly.
Swallowing past the sudden tightness in her throat, she stood. Grocery lists for the week weren’t going to make themselves, and thinking about Jack Tucker—or trying to analyze her talkativeness this morning—was a waste of energy.
Her phone trilled as she entered the kitchen, and she veered toward the counter.
Madeleine.
Perfect.
A chat with her friend should help settle her nerves.
“Good morning, Lindsey.” Madeleine returned her greeting in her usual cheerful manner. “I missed you at services and thought I’d check in. Did your rowing session run long?”
Lindsey blinked.
How had Madeleine known she’d gone sculling? As best she could recall, they hadn’t discussed her Sunday plans during their last conversation.
“Um ... a little longer than usual. Did I mention I was going out to the lake this weekend?”
A couple of beats passed.
“I’m not sure. But don’t you always row on Sundays?”
“During the season, but we’re kind of past that now. I didn’t go to the lake the last two weekends.”
“Well, I couldn’t imagine you not rowing on such a beautiful day. Though I expect it was chilly this morning, wasn’t it?” Her friend’s tone remained conversational.
“Yes.” Lindsey shivered despite the midday sun that was bathing the world outside the window in warm, golden light.
Which was crazy.
Why would she suddenly have misgivings about someone who’d never been anything but kind to her? After all, Madeleine knew she stretched out the rowing season as long as possible, weather permitting. Even if she hadn’t mentioned lake plans for this weekend, it would be logical for her friend to assume she’d work in a session, given the warm temperatures.
There was no reason for Madeleine’s question to stir up doubt.
Yet uncertainty appeared to be her lot today. Thanks to Jack Tucker’s skepticism, she was also beginning to doubt whether someone had grabbed her ankle this morning.
Could she be losing it? Starting to come unglued? Was a breakdown in her—
“... Chad and Dara, so I called them too.”
