Page 159 of Trust No One

The realization was chilling. I’d never once considered that Mom had been murdered.

“Let me exhume her body. A few tests, and we’ll know if I’m wrong or not.”

None of this made sense. “You think this person waited seventeen years to poison Maria, Gabe, and Amy?”

“I don’t know how it all connects yet.”

“You think I could be involved?”

He hesitated. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

The puzzle pieces lay on the table, partial images that still didn’t coalesce into a larger picture.

“Go ahead,” I said. “Do it. Exhume her body.”

A slight nod, and rippling tension eased. “Okay.”

He wanted to be sure of me. But he had doubts. Ken, Gabe, and Maria could have seeded any number of doubts. This close I could smell him. I met his gaze. His breathing deepened, grew slower.

Molly’s feet hit the floor, and her footsteps thumped toward us.

I stepped back, wondering if the heat warming my cheeks showed.

Judson stood rigid until slowly his breath eased from his chest. “I’ll keep you posted.”

“Great.”

Molly eyed Judson as if he were a prime suspect. “What’re you doing?”

I felt as if I’d been caught doing something illicit. “Can you say hi to Agent Blackwood first?” I asked.

Molly pulled in a breath. “Hi.”

Judson grinned. “How’re you, Molly?” The tension rippling through his body had faded.

“Good.”

“Good?” he asked. “What’s that mean?” His question had no emotional charge.

“I’m drawing. Eating cereal.”

“She slept in the Rose Room last night,” I said.

“Why do they call it the Rose Room?” Judson asked.

“Roses on the walls,” Molly said.

“Did you count them?” he asked.

A slight smile nudged the corners of her lips. “I tried. There are too many.”

“Raine, have you counted them?” he asked.

“A few times,” I said. I’d moved into that room when my mother’s health declined. Later, I’d given the room to Amy because it was the closest room to hers. Many nights I’d lain awake listening for her breathing. “There are three thousand twenty-two roses.”