Page 86 of Little Empty Promises

“It’s allhisfault.He said he’d locked the door, and maybe he thought he had.In any case, she walked in, saw me with my dress hiked up, him with his pants down, going at it.”

“And because of what she saw, you thought it warranted murdering her?”

“I didn’t give it much thought, at first.I figured, she was a little old woman.I’d speak to her about it, and everything would be fine.It wasn't until she threatened me that I knew talking with her wouldn’t work.”

“She threatened you how?”

“You’d think the woman caught me murdering someone.She lectured me about how wrong it was to cheat on my husband, and when I laughed it off, her anger escalated.She decided I needed to make a public statement about it, admitting what I did.If I refused, she would make one herself.She said she’d seen a lot in her life, and she was tired of people not paying for their sins.”

“What did you tell her?”I asked.

“I told her she could say whatever she liked, and no one would believe her.”

“You didn’t believe it, though.”

“I believed it when I said it.Later, when I met up with Dustin, he saw how shaken up I was, and he asked me what was wrong.”

“Did you tell him?”

“Not at first, but I’ve never been able to hide things from him.He knows me too well.There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for me.So, yes, I confided in him.When he had the full story, he said to leave it to him.He promised to be discreet, and he said he’d make it all go away.”

“Did you even ask what he meant by that?”

She shook her head.“If you want the truth, I didn’t want the details.I was better off not knowing.”

“Not having the details still gets your hands dirty.You must have known what he was thinking about doing, and you didn’t stop him from doing it.”

“I knew.I just had no idea how indiscreet he was until now.What a fool … what an absolute fool I’ve been.”

“And the man you had sex with … I don’t need you to give me his name.I already know it—Benjamin Branson.”

“Bravo.”

“Before, when you said I prided myself on solving murders on my own, you’re right.I do.This time, there’s one exception.”I held up my phone, turning it toward her.There, on the screen, was the photo I’d asked Whitlock to send.A photo of Dustin being questioned at the department by Foley.“They didn’t know how you were involved.Now they do.”

“Dustin will never turn on me.”

“We’ll see.”

She scoffed, swished a hand through the air.“I already have a plan.I’ll set up Benjamin to take the fall.It will be easy—too easy.”

“You shouldn’t be so confident.”

“Enough talking.Stand up.We’re going for a drive.”

As I stood and readied myself to tackle her, Octavia’s front door blew open, and my mother stormed in, gun in hand.

Eyes wild, she glared at Octavia, saying, “How dare you raise a gun to my daughter!Put it away this instant, Octavia, or I’ll put a hole in your head.”

38

ONE MONTH LATER

I was sitting at my office desk, chatting with neighbor Kayla about the Cordelia Bennett murder investigation.

“How does it feel now that it’s over?”she asked.

“Bittersweet,” I said.“It was sad to learn the reason Cordelia was killed.I’m glad it’s all over.Octavia and Dustin are behind bars where they belong.”

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