Page 124 of You Know Why

I enter through the back door, nose red and cold. I kick off my shoes. I don’t want to track mud through the house. I see Four has done the same. I need to figure out where I can stash the wallets; they’re bulky in my pocket, and the gun is jamming into the small of my back. I’ll keep the phone on me, but the rest need to find a home, or they’ll be seen. I’m not about to wander around with a gun in my waistband.

Margot sees me coming from the living room. She jerks her head toward the bedroom, eyes exaggeratedly wide. I detour down the side hall into my bedroom. Hopefully, she doesn’t want to scold me about something, but she looks . . . scared.

Neve is already in my room, lounging on the bed with Bohdi. Four follows us in, leaps up onto the comforter, making the dog yip in surprise.

Margot closes the door to the bedroom quietly, looking out into the hall. She’s being furtive, and I go on alert.

“Kids, do me a favor and turn on the TV. You can watch for a few minutes before dinner.”

Four gives me a look, then takes his sister’s hand and leads her into the snug off the bedroom that we use for movie night. It’s a small space, an old dressing room we converted, with a sectional couch, a coffee table, and the big TV on the wall. He turns on the television, and Neve asks for the Nutcracker ballet.

“Again?”

“Please,” she begs, and he turns it on, shooting me pointed looks. It’s like he’s gone from child to man in the blink of an eye.

Once they’re settled, I pitch my voice low. “What’s wrong?”

“Stephanie Miller, you know, the pink house on the corner? She was just over here bringing a lasagna. She asked if she could interview Eden to be her nanny.”

“Well, from what you’ve told me, she’s good with the kids and the house management, right? Maybe she would want to do it. It might get her out of here, at least.”

“No, listen. Stephanie said she thought she knew Eden from the kids’ school. That she’d seen her in the pickup line back around Halloween.”

“Halloween? She must be mistaken.”

“Maybe. She was adamant, though, and it freaked me out. We really don’t know a lot about Eden, do we? Other than she went to school with Trey, and her sister was murdered.”

Now she starts seeing sense. Takes an outsider.

“You’re the one who’s been spending all the time with her. You know her better than I do. And don’t give me that look, I’m not judging. I thought you liked her.”

“I do. I did. I’m . . . confused. Actually, I don’t think she’s that into me. Her attentions feel insincere, if you know what I mean. Or really inexperienced.”

“You think she’s straight?”

She huffs out an unamused laugh. “I do. Embarrassingly, I do.”

“Then why is she sticking around? Surely not for me.”

“I think it’s the kids. She adores them. And they seem so enamored of her, I haven’t wanted to shut them down.”

“Knock knock!” There is a rapping at the door, and damn if Eden doesn’t open it and stick her head in. Her smile is wide but forced. We’ve left her out, and I get the sense she doesn’t like it. Or she was listening at the door. “Oh, there you all are. Dinner is ready when you are. I’ve already fed the agents, they’re eating as we speak.”

“Thank you, Eden. We’ll be right there.”

The woman just stands there, looking slightly bewildered, as if she’s not used to her summons being ignored. I repeat myself.

“We’ll be in when we’re done chatting here.”

It’s not my imagination; her eyes narrow slightly before she pulls the door closed. This isn’t good. I knew something was off with her.

“Margot. Trey has been in touch.” I hold up my hand. “Later, okay? He says we’re not safe. And if Eden’s been hanging around since Halloween? I don’t know what’s happening here, but I’m going to listen to my husband. We have to get rid of her. Please?”

“Brook. The police, the FBI, Homeland, everyone’s looking for him. And there are four FBI agents out front. Do you think he’s going to show up here and whisk you away? We have to tell them he’s been in touch.”

“No. I need him. I need him here. We’ll have to distract them.” I breathe deeply, thinking. My head is killing me. “What if there’s a sighting? Won’t they all take off, looking for him?”

“Now you want to lie to the police?”