Page 161 of Trust No One

“Edith.” My voice hardened. “I want us to be cordial. But I won’t let you talk to me like that.”

“I don’t trust you. You took off before.”

“When? After Mom died?”

“You left Hale House. The house and property are a responsibility. An obligation. Gabe, Maria, and I were left to handle it all.”

“I appreciate that. But remember, you had a rent-free house to live in.”

Edith’s shoulders stiffened. She handed me the bag. “These are Molly’s clothes. I cleaned what I had at the house.”

“Thank you.”

I followed her into the kitchen, to find Molly spooning sugar into a cup of coffee. The spoon clinked against the side of a stoneware mug as the girl stirred.

“Molly,” Edith said. She kissed the girl on top of her head. “I’ve missed you.”

Molly smiled. “I’m drawing.”

Edith glanced at the cereal bowl. “Are you eating?”

“Yes,” Molly said.

“What did you have for breakfast?”

I tamped down the urge to answer for the child.

“Cereal.”

Judson sipped his coffee, clearly curious about Molly’s one-word answers. Finally he said, “I better get going. Raine, walk me out?”

I glanced at Edith standing by Molly. At some point, we’d have to come to an understanding. I had to hope I could trust her with Molly.

“Sure.” I followed him to the front door.

He reached for the knob and paused. “She’s not a threat to you,” he said. “She’s Gabe’s mother.”

“I know. But she’s had it in for me since I got back.”

“She’s afraid. And grieving.”

“You’re right. But she enabled Gabe to take Molly.”

“Do you think she expected it to go so far?”

“No.” I shook my head. I wanted to find pity, but I had none in reserve. “Maria was not fond of her.”

“Mothers-in-law don’t always get along with the women their sons marry.”

Ken’s mother had left the area about a decade ago and moved to Florida. Just as well. We hadn’t been each other’s superfans. “Point taken. I need to work it out with her.”

“I’ll update you on the exhumation,” he said.

“Great.” I found traces of a smile.

When he left, I closed the door and moved back toward the kitchen. Molly was eating more cereal, and Edith had poured herself a cup of coffee. She’d been in this house so much, and it made sense that she still knew her way around the kitchen.

“It’s a sketch of this house,” Molly said.