I wait, hoping for a good reason or excuse for her wrongdoing, but she stays quiet, looking mortified. Her hands start to shakeagain, and she bursts into tears. She covers her face with her hands and sobs uncontrollably.

I did not expect that. It puzzles me.

I feel bad for making her cry. I even want to console her. But I remind myself of the pain she has been making Cassie go through.

“It’s not my fault. It’s not my fault.” She keeps wailing and sobbing words we can’t make sense of.

Whose fault is it if not hers?

We watch her as she sobs for a while. Her cries slow down and she speaks clearly. “Does Cassieknow?”

Of all the things to say after weeping for so long. It shows that she is more concerned about Cassie finding out the truth than any other variable in the situation. It strikes me that she still hoped to hide this from Cassie, even though we have found out.

“She doesn’t know,” I say. “Where is Cassie?”

“Where is she?” she asks back. “Where is she? I don’t know where she is. I thought she was with you.”

My annoyance gives way to panic.

“We thought she came back home. I told her to get a cab to go home and we left to get her pills. She should be home by now,” Eric speaks up.

“I have been home all day. She hasn’t come back to me. If she is not here with me or with you, then where is she?” she replies.

Panic seizes us all.

Miss Munt grips the table till her knuckles turn white. She mumbles some incoherent words and suddenly takes off running out of the house.

Wait, what?

It takes me a second of shock to react, but then I chase after her. Eric follows.

We get outside to see her heading for the main house. She is going to the Kayes. We follow her to the metal gate separating her home from the main compound and wait. We can’t just go off into the main grounds. She works there, however, so she can.

We watch as Miss Munt runs up to a maid who is walking past. She grabs the poor girl by the shoulders and shakes her.

We are some distance away, yet we can hear clearly from where we stand,thanks to our wolves’ hearing.

“Miss Munt!” the girl exclaims in shock. “What’s wrong?”

I pity the girl.

Every staff member at the Kaye estate knows Cassie’s mom. She is probably one of the oldest maids.

All the other staff members come from their homes to work at the estate. Some staff members stay in quarters in the main house when they are on duty at night. No other employees live permanently on the estatelike Cassie’s mother.

Cassie told us that the Kayes were kind because her mom had begged them for accommodation since she was so sick.

Knowing this now sours my belly. She got a free house because her daughter was sick. She said she was poor since she boughtmedicine for Cassie, so I used to give her groceries. How could she take so many free things from people when she was the one poisoning her daughter?

“Have you seen Cassie anywhere on the estate today?” she asks the girl she has grabbed. “Did she come home today?”

“Ow! I’ll answer you, just stop shaking me!” The girl pulls herself from Miss Munt’s grip and rubs her arms, pouting. “It’s been a busy day today, but yes, I think I saw her going into the garden.”

“The garden?” she asks, scared. Her face goes white as if she has seen a ghost.

“Yes, yes. It’s not a big deal, though. Is everything all right?” The girl seems slightly concerned.

“Oh yes! Everything is fine. Thank you, Mary.” Miss Munt jumps back from her and acts calm again.