Page 29 of Little Shattered Dreams

“Even though the dreams weren’t reality—not when she had them, at least—

did she see who attacked her?”

“She could never see the person’s face.”

“Any idea why she’d have dreams like that?”

“I believe it was because she’d started addressing the issues from her past, dealing with her demons, the things she wanted to let go of but hadn’t yet. That’s what brought her here. She told me so herself the first day we met. She was in a place in her life where she was ready to move on. She knew resolving her issues would be a long, difficult path to take, but she was prepared to do it.”

“What did Quinn say to you about the warning written in lipstick on the mirror in her bathroom? I believe that may have also brought on her nightmares.”

He raised a brow, surprised. “I never told anyone about that. How do you know?”

“It’s best I don’t say. The walls in these bungalows are thin. They carry sound sometimes. Best to speak with quiet voices in your sessions. You never know who’s listening.”

I opened the door and poked my head out.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Making sure we don’t have any eavesdroppers.”

When I was sure we didn’t, I returned to a seated position. “The lipstick warning referred to a secret Quinn was keeping. Did she say anything about it?”

“Nothing important.”

Another dead end.

“What else can you tell me about your visits with her?” I asked.

“Quinn was struggling with guilt over some of her past decisions.”

“What kind of decisions?”

“Some of her guilt stemmed from things she’d done, and some related to things that had been done to her. She came to the retreat with a list of names. One person to work through for each day she was here. In doing so, she believed it would help her get past whatever unresolved feelings she had about these people.”

Quinn had come to the retreat with an honest desire to shed the past and live a better life, a life that had been stripped away from her the moment she tried to get it back together. It was cruel. But so was life sometimes.

“What past issues did Quinn discuss with you?” I asked.

He pursed his lips. “In the two sessions we had, she talked about her most recent divorce.”

“Which was how long ago?”

“She never said, but she did tell me she hadn’t dated or been with another man since.”

“What did she say about the marriage?”

“It was her second divorce. She filed after finding out her husband was seeing other women. And though she believed he was the reason the relationship deteriorated, she’d matured enough to realize her own part in its demise.”

“What’s the ex-husband’s name?”

Karl leaned over and grabbed a handbag resting on the floor next to a chair. He took out a pad of paper, flipped through a few pages, and said, “His name is Larry. She didn’t give a last name. And if you’re wondering, he had nothing to do with her death.”

“How can you be sure?”

“He’s dead. Not sure how long ago he died, but I assume it’s been a while now. Hung himself in their garage. Stepdaughter was the one who found him. Horrible, isn’t it?”

“Did Quinn know why he took his own life?”

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