The Truth About Us

Abby lifted the documents and started shuffling through them, ignoring her. “Some of this I can’t make sense of. It could have nothing to do with my grandmother’s case. Who knows how much the police rifled through everything and—wait. Here’s a name. Anna Gutman.”

Abby’s eyes brightened, as she showed Kaden the sticky note.

“There’s an address and a question mark by her name,” Kaden said, glancing up at her, their heads bent together, only inches apart. “You think this might be the relative your grandmother spoke of?”

His breath kissed her cheek as his gaze darted to her mouth, causing Abby to inhale a sharp intake of breath, lost in the movement of his eyes.

Blinking, she shook her head and focused. “Uh, yeah. That’s exactly what I think.”

“So, the question remains. Was Lawson’s murder linked to your grandmother? Or was McBride finding him on that night in Newberry working on her case a coincidence.”

Abby’s thoughts flickered to what Kaden said the other day about how it felt like them running into each other was meant to be. ‘Lik

e, some outside force beyond our control was throwing us together for a reason.’

“I’m starting to think there are no coincidences anymore,” Abby whispered.

“Me either.”

Her heart battered against her ribcage as her eyes locked on his. Something flickered in them, and her fingertips reached out to him as all else fell away.

“Here we are!” Leanne proclaimed.

Abby jumped, putting distance between her and Kaden as though he caught fire, and bashed her head off the side of the desk in the process. “Ow!” she groaned.

Behind her, Cammie snickered. “As I said, making eyes at each other.”

Shooting her a glare, Abby reached up to rub her throbbing skull, which had already started to form a goose egg.

Leanne glanced back and forth between them, then set the tray on the desk. “Here you are. Don’t be shy.” She hovered over them, staring at the file in Abby’s hands. “Find anything useful?”

“Actually, we did,” Abby said, standing. “And I think we should go.”

“Oh.” Leanne’s smile fell. “So soon? Before you’ve even had a snack?”

“Yeah, we have a curfew. I’m sorry.” Abby scrunched her nose and glanced at her watch. “We need to be home by ten or our parents will be worried.” She rolled her eyes at the inconvenience. “And we have a forty-minute drive back.”

“Oh, okay. Yeah, I understand.” Leanne stood and followed them as they made their way back down the hall toward the front door.

Though Abby felt a sting of guilt for leaving Leanne to her cats, they had found what they came for. Staying longer was unnecessary, not to mention risky on the chance Mr. Oliver checked Kaden’s empty bedroom.

Reaching for the knob, Cammie smiled at Leanne. “We really appreciate you being so kind and helping us.”

Abby waved the papers in her hand, adding. “Yes, this will help a lot.”

Leanne fidgeted, disappointment plain on her face. “Well, it’s the least I can do.”

Abby stepped onto the small patio. The welcoming April breeze greeted her, along with the heady scent of lilacs.

“You know, I always thought that phone call my father made the night he died had to do with why he was in Newberry in the first place. Whatever it was, something big happened. He was excited. I’ve never seen him like that before.”

Abby paused on the walkway, then slowly turned and cocked her head at the sight of Leanne silhouetted in the light of the doorway. “What do you mean?”

Leanne crossed her arms. “When he called me that night, he was going on about a big break in a case. Something huge. Something that would make us big money and make him famous.” Leanne’s gaze shifted. Almost as an afterthought, she added, “I guess we’ll never know. They all think I’m crazy.”

“They?” Abby asked, squinting into the light of the doorway.

“The police.”