Page 168 of Wicked Little Secret

My ginger girl meows a second time when I don’t move fast enough to answer the door.

“Okay, okay, Peaches,” I say, grabbing a towel to wipe my hands. “Chill, alright? I’m going to get it.”

She blinks at me from where she’s lounging on the armrest of my sofa. I move toward the door, rising on tiptoe to check the peephole.

I should’ve known.

There aren’t many people in Castlebury interested in visiting me. Even fewer who I’d want to. I draw the dooropen to the happy pants of a golden retriever that circles my legs and paws at my thighs.

A light laugh leaves me. “Hi, Atty! Long time no see. No wonder Peaches was nagging me to get the door.”

“He got excited as soon as he saw where we pulled up to,” Theo says, inviting herself inside. She’s clutching two large lattes and a white paper bag of pastries.

I help her with what she has as Atticus races over to greet Peaches. The dog and cat somehow get along, though he’s a burst of energy while Peaches is more low key.

“Sorry I’m late,” Theo says, shrugging off her jacket. “I didn’t want to come by empty handed.”

“You coming by at all is appreciated.”

Theo’s mouth dips into a frown. “We’ll get it all figured out. He always comes up with something. He’s a genius like that.”

“Yeah… I know. It’s just…” I blink to fight off the sudden onslaught of tears.

Theo picks up on it right away and puts her arms around me. “You sure you don’t want to go in person? Maybe the moral support from you would really help.”

“Can’t,” I croak, wiping my eyes. “It wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“Right, it could open up a can of worms.” Theo sighs, hands on her hips as she glances from the coffee cups on the counter to the small TV mounted on the wall. “Well, I guess that’s one good thing about it being televised. Never mind all the national coverage and sensationalized headlines. At least we can watch from the comfort of our homes.”

We settle down on the sofa and flick on the TV in time to see Channel Nine’s field reporter speaking in frontof the courthouse.

“Hello, Rob and Jessie, and viewers at home,” says the svelte blonde in an emerald wrap dress. “I just arrived to the Castlebury courthouse today for what’s day five of the Valentine Killer trial, where Criminal Law Professor Theron Adler is being tried on five counts of murder. In a few short moments, we’ll be heading inside for the opening statements from the defense.

“As a reminder for some of the viewers just tuning in at home, Mr. Adler has made the controversial decision to represent himself during this trial. Once a defense attorney, he rejected all other legal counsel and seemed to think it was in his best interest to argue his own case. Legal experts have expressed concern about this, citing past cases where this has turned out to the defendant’s detriment.”

“Oh god…” I mutter, brushing a hand over my face. “I hope he knows what he’s doing.”

“Theron is sharp in the courtroom,” Theo says. “He’s always been. Even Dad was impressed. You don’t know our father—it’s damn near impossible to impress him.”

I aim a small, sad smile at Theron’s sister. “Thanks for trying to keep me from breaking down.”

“We’re pretty much all each other has at this point.”

Theo’s speaking facts.

Over the last two years that Theron has been arrested for the Valentine murders, the scandal consumed Castlebury. Accusations were thrown. Suspicions were raised. Past allegiances were severed. Many people in the circles I ran with turned on each other.

There were rumors. Lots of them.

Some of them involved me.

I heard it all. From a theory I was Theron’s accomplice (somewhat accurate) to I was almost one of Theron’s victims before he took mercy and let me go (not soaccurate). But one thing emerged crystal clear out of the chaos—I had to keep my distance.

For my sake, but especially for Theron’s.

If I was linked to the case in the eyes of the authorities, then that opened a whole new can of worms—and potential problems—for Theron.

Some digging and poking around would be done. My background would be discovered. Professor Vise’s murder would come up. So would Mom’s.

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