Page 82 of I Know She Was There

“I can’t,” Annie warbled, as though speaking around a mouthful of marbles. Her hand shook so violently that I feared she was having a seizure.

Now was the moment. I had to spring on them and grab the gun, using my corkscrew if I had to. Heart hammering so hard I could barely breathe and panic clouding my vision, I launched my body up and out into the darkness, arms stretched toward the shaking gun. I smashed into the pair, our forearms clashing against each other like swords. I plunged my makeshift weapon into what I hoped was Tim’s limb as a blast of noise and flash of light lit up the basement, sending everything into slow motion. For a split second, I was floating in complete silence. Until the noises erupted full-force all around me: Tim yelping, Annie screaming, and a heartrending cry from across the room. Smoke filled the air and something hot and heavy pressed against my palm.

The gun, handed off by Annie.

I curled my fingers around it, yanked my hand up as I stood, and stumbled backward, not stopping until my shoulder blades and back hit the stone wall. My hand was now shaking as hard as Annie’s had been. Tim was on the ground, Annie on top of him. Shoving her off, he got to his feet just as I stepped forward, widened my stance, making sure the revolver—secured with both hands—was aimed at him.

“Don’t come any closer,” I ordered.

“Shit, Caroline, did you stab me with something?” Tim looked down at his arm.

“Raise your hands,” I yelled to hear my voice above the pounding in my brain. I cocked the gun.

Tim halted and raised his hands above his head. “I was never going to hurt you. You know that, right?” He took a step closer. “It was these two. They have no right to be in our business.”

“So you were going to do what, just kill them?”

“No, I keep telling you I’m not a killer. Annie shot Mary, not me.” He inched closer. I wanted to look at my neighbor, myfriend,to ensure she was okay, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off Tim, who was lowering his hands. “You saw that yourself, Carrie.”

Carrie. Tim hadn’t called me by that nickname in years. I gritted my teeth. “Don’t gaslight me, Tim. It won’t work this time. You ordered Mary shot because she’s in the way, isn’t she? She’s keeping you from what you want: my mother’s money. And Annie turned on you. Even worse, she tricked you, making you believe she cared when all she wanted was the cash.”

Tim’s eyes narrowed. Exaggerated by the shadows cast by the flashlight to his side, his face looked like the embodiment of evil. Why had it taken me so long to realize how dangerous he was? He’d stop at nothing to get his hands on my mother’s estate.

What I didn’t understand was what he had against Ava and Tyler Hansen, but I suddenly needed to know how deep his depravity went. “Why would you let Tyler Hansen die in the pond? What did the guy ever do to you?”

“That was out of my hands. I jumped in after him and tried to save him. More than you did for Muzzy’s child, I might add.”

Shame washed over me. The gun wavered in my hands.Don’t listen to him, he’s trying to trip you up. Again.

“You can see how wet I am, Caroline.” He held his hands out and rocked back and forth as if modeling for my inspection.

“What about Tyler’s wife, Ava? The poor woman had her throat slit open.”

“I was too late to save her too.” He inched closer.

“So you admit to being there when she was all... bloody?” I remembered Tim’s car parked just yards away from the Pine Hill house that night.

“Yeah, I was there. I was looking for Annie when I came across both you and Ava.”

“But why?” I asked, feeling the beginning of tears stinging the back of my eyes. “Why did you have to kill Ava?”

“I didn’t kill her, Caroline.” His eyes held mine. “I was only there to clean up.”

“Clean up? What does that mean?” I shook my head. “Clean up after what?”

“Not what, but who.” He spoke very clearly. “I had to clean up your mess.”

“My mess? What did I do?”

“You killed Ava, Caroline.”

CHAPTER42

MONDAY, DAWN, SEPTEMBER 25

“It was the thing that would get you committed for the rest of your life, but I covered for you,” said Tim. “I saw you run into Annie’s house, and I followed you. Unfortunately, by the time I got there you were already upstairs, stabbing that woman, Ava. She managed to get out one good scream before you got that crazy blade into her?—”

“I wouldn’t have done that! I was outside, seeing her fall against the window...”

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