Page 183 of Trust No One

She nodded. “I get it. Document, document, et cetera.”

“Thanks.”

“You’ll be back on Tuesday for the burial?” I asked the funeral director.

“Yes. The burials are scheduled for noon.”

“Thank you.”

The director shook his head, his expression weary. “I buried this woman seventeen years ago. Seems like yesterday. I’ve moved graves before, but never for the medical examiner.”

I clasped his hand. “Thank you for the work. Later, as the investigation progresses, I’ll explain why.”

“Sure, I understand.”

He walked away, but I remained by the fresh holes. Three people were dead. All were connected to Hale House. All knew Raine. The land, her inheritance, were both at the heart of it.

“Look at this.” Ken’s voice cut across the silence.

My body tightened before I turned.

Ken strolled through the open fence. Perfectly dressed, hair shellacked, the sharp tang of aftershave drifting ahead of him. “What’s the deal, Judson? You dug up Mrs. Hale?”

“I can’t discuss this, Ken.”

“It’s a drastic move.”

It was. If I was wrong—especially about a Hale—the judge would be slow to approve any of my future requests.

“You must suspect something,” Ken said. “Do you really believe someone killed Eloise Hale?”

Seventeen years ago, news of Mrs. Hale’s death had spread in town quickly. We didn’t get many odd deaths like hers. Details glutted gossip-filled beauty salons, barbershops, and church circles for a few weeks. Finally, the event, as most do, vanished into memory. Mrs. Hale was forgotten by the end of the year.

“What’re you doing here, Ken?” I asked.

He gave me a tight, practiced smile. “Checking in on Raine. She’s out here alone. And I didn’t give her a birthday gift.”

Ken didn’t do anything for anyone without a reason.

“Really?”

He cocked his head. “No matter what you think, I love Raine. I always will. It’s over for us, but doesn’t mean I won’t keep an eye on her.”

“Time to back off, Ken.”

A curious grin tipped the edge of his lips. “Who put you in charge? You two haven’t been anything for seventeen years.” His eyes narrowed. “Unless there’s something going on that I’m not aware of.”

“Ken, move on. There’s no need to be here.”

Defiance tightened his jaw. “Two of my friends have died. I’m attending their funeral. It’s the least I can do.”

“Don’t linger on this land,” I warned. “Don’t hang around Raine.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.”

“I will arrest you for trespassing.”

He laughed. “And that’s supposed to scare me?”