Page 44 of Unforgotten

Figuring he had a point, she said, “Well, let’s see. She’s kind and thoughtful. She likes to read a lot too.”

He glanced her way. “That’s it?”

“Well, no. Bethanne is a lot more than that. But most people are fairly complex, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.”

Ryan said nothing more, and Candace had to wonder why he would want to know about Bethanne. Surely he could look up the police reports from seven years ago if he wanted the whole story. But maybe he’d wanted to hear from someone who knew her well. Candance considered asking him why he wanted to know, but she really didn’t feel like talking about Bethanne.

When he eventually pulled into the shopping mall parking lot, he spoke again. “It’s 1:30. What time to do you need to be inside?”

“The meet and greet is at two. We’ve probably got tenminutes or so.” She liked to get there a little early, but not too much.

“All right.” After parking, he unbuckled his seat belt but didn’t turn off the ignition. “Beyond Bethanne being sweet and Amish, what’s her story?”

“Well, as you know, she’s my cousin.”

“Are you close?”

“Yes. We were born less than a year apart, and our mothers are sisters.”

“But you must have very different lives.”

“Or course. She’s Amish and I’m not.” She drew a breath and sighed. “You already know about Peter Miller. She’s had a real tough time since what happened with him, although she’s been doing better lately.”

“How so?”

Ryan’s digging made her uncomfortable. There was no way any cop’s curiosity was more important than Bethanne’s privacy. She might feel like Ryan was becoming a friend, but they had a long way to go before she was willing to share everything she knew about Bethy. “Well, she’s leaving the house more often. She works from home as a book reviewer for a publishing company in Marion.”

“What does she do for fun?”

Indignation boiled through her. “Fun?”

“Yeah.” He now sounded a bit impatient. “Who is she dating?”

Candace’s mom had said that an Amish guy named Jay had visited Bethanne at home earlier that week, but Candace hadn’t heard anything more about that. “She’s not dating anyone.”

“You’re sure?”

She resented how he was acting like she didn’t even know Bethanne. Resented that he seemed to be playing her. Hereshe was, trying to help him out, but instead he’d turned the tables and wanted gossip about her cousin.

She opened her car door. “Look, time’s up. I need to get inside.”

“Hold up. I’ll walk with you.” Ryan got out and shut his door, then walked around the SUV to her. As if by habit, he slowed his stride as they headed for the mall doors, enabling Candace, in her three-inch heels and a form-fitting dress, to walk at a comfortable pace.

Memories of senior prom, when Candace’s date seemed oblivious to the challenge of doing much at all in four-inch sandals, tumbled into her mind. By the end of the evening, she’d had two blisters and a cranky attitude from being on her feet all night. Her date had been annoyed with her too. He’d asked her to take the shoes off, but she’d been too afraid of them getting stolen or ruined. She’d worked three overtime shifts at the ice cream parlor to pay for them.

“Thanks,” she said as he opened the door for her.

He met her gaze. “I appreciate how polite you are, but there’s no need to keep thanking me.”

“No, not for being here. I know it’s part of your job. I’m just ... feeling gratitude for you not making me walk any faster.”

He chuckled once they were inside. “First, I’d never make a woman run in high heels. I do have some manners. And secondly,feeling gratitude?”

“What’s wrong with that phrase?”

“Not a thing. It’s just a new one for me.”

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