Page 14 of Between the Lines

“I think she’s recent.” Paige’s eyes narrowed slightly. “She was not forthcoming with any real details.”

“That’s fine, I can work with recent.” Maude chewed her lip, thinking. “Anything else you can think of?”

“She’s slim, with the kind of build that comes from exercise. Dark hair in a short bob.” Paige shook her head. “That’s not a lot to go on, is it?”

“It’s all right,” Maude said. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

“Thank you.” Paige’s eyes narrowed. “Do you think this is personal? Because it certainly felt that way.”

“I think it could be,” Maude said. “But it might also be some kind of social climbing thing. I won’t know until I look and see what I can find out. Which I will obviously share with you as soon as I have something concrete.”

“Thank you.”

Maude thought for a second. “Did she mention your TikToks?”

“Yes! Sorry, I don’t know how I forgot to mention that. Too flustered, I guess,” Paige said. “She told me straight out that she’d watched them. A lot of them. I think she’s even left a few comments. Including at least one today.”

“Watching all those videos could give her a false sense of intimacy,” Maude said. “People get that way with influencers. They overstep boundaries all the time.”

“I’ve seen it. I’m seeing it now,” Paige said. “That’s what unsettled me. How she acted like she knew me. And like I owed her something. I’ll find that comment and send you a screenshot.”

“That would help.” Maude took one more drink, then set her soda on the side table. “I’ll start tonight. I’ll look for property records, social profiles, business ties, past addresses—those sorts of things. And if it’s all right with you, I’d like to loop Cece in. She’s pretty connected, since she writes for The Buzz. She may have already been asked to do a new-neighbor interview on this woman. That could give me some more info.”

“I’m fine with that. Whatever you need to do.” Paige stood, soda can in hand. “I really appreciate this.”

“I’d be doing the same thing in your situation,” Maude said. “Someone comes at you that way, makes you feel threatened, you want to know what’s going on.”

Paige smiled faintly. “I was hoping you’d say that.” She lifted the can. “Thanks for the drink. And your help.”

“That’s what friends are for.”

Paige took the soda with her. As soon as she left, Maude reopened her laptop and clicked away from Robbie’s website. She opened a new blank document.

She typed a name at the top of the page. Darcy Lane

Maude would drop links here, make notes, anything that she wanted to save. Anything that might help her figure out who this woman was. Information didn’t necessarily create power, but it sure helped reveal where the power was.

She got to work. Unsurprisingly, Facebook was the first real hit.

The profile photo revealed a woman in her early sixties, maybe. Dark hair. Light makeup. Smiling, but not broadly. The kind of smile that looked like it was something she practiced for pictures rather than one that was spontaneous.

Maude studied the photo for a full ten seconds before doing anything else.

She right-clicked, copied the image to her document, then picked up her phone and texted Paige.

Found a Darcy Lane on Facebook. Sending pic—confirm if this is her. She attached the photo and waited.

Maude used the time to scan the rest of the visible profile but didn’t click through on anything yet. There were minimal public posts. No political rants. A few bland inspirational quotes. No grandkids featured front and center. A few likes on local pages, including the Colony and a yoga studio in Beechwood.

Then Maude found a charity luncheon from two years ago. The location was tagged in Atlanta. Hmm. That was interesting.

Her phone buzzed.

Paige had answered. That’s her. Same woman.

Maude exhaled, slow and quiet. A sense of satisfaction filled her, along with the irrepressible urge to find out what this woman was up to.

Okay, she texted back. Digging deeper.