Page 130 of This is Why We Lied

“Sara?” Keisha was standing in the open doorway of her cottage. Her arms were crossed. “What the hell is going on? You need to get us off this mountain.”

Sara walked toward her, trying to swallow back her dread. Drew was a legitimate suspect. Sara had to keep up the lie a little while longer. “I’m sorry I can’t help you. I would if I could.”

“There’s two off-road vehicles over there with four seats each. You could let us borrow one. We could take Monica and Frank. They’re ready to go, too.”

“That’s not my decision to make.”

“Well whose decision is it?” Keisha asked. “We’re scared of hiking down because of mudslides. God knows what the road is like. We can’t call an Uber. There’s no internet or phones. You’ve got us trapped up here.”

“You’re not technically trapped. You can leave at any time. You’re just choosing not to because of valid reasons.”

“Goddam, did you always talk like you’re married to a cop or am I just noticing?”

Sara took a deep breath. “I’m a medical examiner with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.”

Keisha looked surprised, then impressed. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Sara said. “Can you tell me anything about Mercy’s family?”

Keisha’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“This is your third time up here. You and Drew know the McAlpines better than we do. Their response to Mercy’s death seems very guarded.”

Keisha crossed her arms as she leaned against the doorjamb. “Why should I trust you?”

Sara shrugged. “You don’t have to, but I think you cared about Mercy. We need the case against her killer to be airtight. She deserves justice.”

“She sure as hell didn’t deserve Dave.”

Sara swallowed down her guilt. She had been outvoted. What’s more, she wasn’t an agent. This wasn’t her case to solve. “Do you know Dave well?”

“Only well enough to despise him. Reminds me of my lazy piece of shit ex-husband.” Keisha’s gaze had settled on the main house. Bitty and Cecil were looking at them, but the couple was too far away to hear anything. “The family has always been reserved, but you’re right. They’re all acting strange. The McAlpines have a lot of secrets up here. I guess they don’t want them getting out.”

“Secrets about what?”

Keisha narrowed her eyes again. “Being a medical examiner—does that mean you’re a cop, too? Because I don’t know how it works.”

Sara returned to an honest approach. “I can still be a witness to anything you say.”

Keisha groaned. “Drew doesn’t want me getting involved in this.”

“Where is he now?”

“Looking for Fishtopher down at the equipment shed so he can fix our damn toilet. It’s been acting up since we got here, and Drew doesn’t know the difference between a faucet and his asshole.”

“What’s it doing?”

“Making a dripping sound.”

Sara spotted a way to earn back some of her trust. “My father is a plumber. I used to help him out every summer. Do you want me to take a look?”

Keisha’s eyes went to the main house again, then back to Sara. “Drew told me the cops don’t have a right to search anything without a warrant.”

“He’s not completely correct on that,” Sara said. “The McAlpines own the property. Ultimately, they’re the ones who are responsible for granting permission. And if I see anything laying around your place like a murder weapon, then I’m obviously going to tell Will.”

“Obviously.” Keisha took a second to think about it, then she let out a loud groan as she threw open the door. “I can’t be trapped up here with that dripping noise. Don’t mind the mess.”

Sara guessed the two drinking glasses and half-eaten pack of crackers on the coffee table were the mess that Keisha was referring to. Cottage three was smaller than ten, but the furnishings were similar. A set of French doors off the living room offered spectacular long-range views. Sara glanced through the open door to the bedroom. The bed was made, unlike what Faith would find at Sara and Will’s. There were two suitcases waiting by the front door. The backpacks were overstuffed where they’d been hastily packed. To her great relief, there were no empty bottles of Eads Clear eye drops in the trash can.

---