Page 76 of Only One More Lie

Juniper blinked in confusion. “That’s not true. You wanted to go in with him!”

“Who told you that?”

“I overheard the conversation myself.”

That was what Juniper had told them earlier also, Duke remembered. So what was this guy’s take on the situation?

“Well, you heard wrong.” Heath spit out the words. “I told your father this camp was a terrible idea. He wanted me to invest, but I told him no. He was furious with me for rejecting his idea.”

Juniper shook her head, her gaze tumultuous with confusion. “No, that’s not right.”

“Did you come here just to tell Juniper that?” Gibson asked.

“No, I came here because it’s her fault my daughter’s dead. If she’d listened and moved with her mother and I, she’d still be alive right now!”

CHAPTER 39

While Duke and Gibson led Mr. Klinkhart away, Andi and Simmy led Juniper in the opposite direction.

It was clear these two needed to be separated. Juniper was upset—and rightfully so. That confrontation had been ugly and uncalled for.

Andi directed Juniper to a seat in the corner. Andi sat on one side of her and Simmy on the other.

“Are you okay?” Andi asked softly, truly concerned about Juniper’s mental state after those accusations had been hurled at her.

Juniper shook her head, though her gaze still look bewildered with shock. “I can’t believe he came here. I can’t believe he said those things.”

“Pepper’s death isnotyour fault.” Even as Andi said the words, she remembered her earlier suspicions—suspicions that Juniper had discovered Pepper and Caleb were seeing each other and the murder could have been a jealous fit of rage.

She couldn’t rule the theory out, though she didn’t see Juniper as a killer.

Right now, she would put that idea aside.

“I know, but . . .” Juniper sniffled. “If I hadn’t told Peppermint about the cabin and let her stay there, she would have moved away, and then none of this would have happened . . . her dad is right.”

“Don’t go there.” Simmy squeezed Juniper’s hand. “Something else could have happened to her if she did move. Her father obviously has anger problems and control issues.”

Andi had noticed how quickly Simmy and Juniper had bonded. Simmy had almost stepped in as a motherly figure, and Andi sensed that was something Juniper desperately needed. The ability to love and care for others was a true gift, and Simmy had that in abundance.

Andi shifted her thoughts. “What about what Mr. Klinkhart said about the property? Do you think he’s lying? Or do you think you misunderstood what was happening when your parents started this place?”

“What exactly did you hear, sweetie?” Simmy still gently gripped Juniper’s forearm.

Juniper ran a hand roughly beneath her eyes before drawing in a breath. “My dad told Heath he was sorry this didn’t work out. Then Heath said he was making a huge mistake. Then my dad insisted he wouldn’t change his mind. I asked my parents later, and they confirmed what I heard. Why would they lie?”

“Maybe to protect themselves?” Andi suggested with a shrug. “To protect the image you had of them?”

“But if that’s true . . .” Juniper blinked back tears as she shook her head. “Then that would change everything.”

Andi knew those words were true. That would mean that Juniper’s parents might have been keeping secrets. Not telling the whole truth. But what reason would they have to lie?

Questions swirled in her mind.

Juniper’s phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. “It’s the hospital. I should take this. It could be an update on Emmett.”

Andi nodded and watched as she answered.

A few seconds into the conversation, Juniper’s eyes brightened. “Is that right? Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it.”

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