Page 56 of Conrad

Tia held up her hands. “Wow. Hangry much?”

Penelope wrinkled her nose. “A little. But that’s—” She took a breath. Maybe . . . shoot. This might be a bad idea. “I got the forensic arson report from Edward’s apartment.”

“Yeah, so did I.” Tia folded her arms.

“No—a different one. Therealone. The one that found two bullet holes in his wall.”

Tia’s eyes widened.

“I went there today and talked with one of the neighbors, and she saw a man run from the townhouse right after hearing three shots.”

Tia reached out, backed up and hit the sofa. Leaned on it. “So he was dead before the fire.”

“Yes.”

She breathed out, bent over, gripped her knees. “Oh, thank God.”

Penelope stilled. “What?”

“I was so worried that he’d burned to death.” She stood up, her eyes filled. “That he’d suffered in the flames, but . . .” She swallowed. “Thank you. It’s like a gift, knowing?—”

“Tia. I’ve been saying for years that someonemurderedhim and set the house on fire to cover it up.”

Tia’s eyes widened. Her mouth opened, and Penelope could almost see her brain working. “I know. I just . . .”

“Loved him. And you didn’t want to think that someone could murder him.”

A tear trekked down her sister’s cheek. “But the alternative—that he burned to death—was just as horrible.”

Penelope stepped up and wiped it away gently with her thumb. “I know I’ve asked this before, but I need you to really think. Did Edward have any enemies? Anyone who would’ve wanted to hurt him?”

Tia shook her head. “No. Everybody loved him. He was so smart and brilliant and . . .”

Cheating on you.But Penelope kept that to herself, not quite sure she could believe it.

“That’s it, then,” Tia said. “I didn’t want to believe you, but I guess . . . now we know. We give the evidence to the police and walk away. Let them handle it.”

Penelope blinked at her. “Tia. The police know—theyhaveto know. Or . . .” She frowned. “Okay, yes, but . . .”

Tia put her hands on Penelope’s shoulders. “Give them what you found. Then you need to let him go too.” She pulled Penelope into her embrace.

Huh.Her heart thumped, not sure . . .

Tia pushed her away. “So, I heard things are going well with EmPower. Lucas called—said the photo shoot went spectacularly. We already have pictures on the website.”

Really?But Conrad’s words about Tia’s way of grieving rounded back to her, so, “Yeah. I bought equipment for the team today.” It felt like a thousand years ago. “Conrad helped.”

“Uh-huh. You two a thing?” She looped her arm through Penelope’s.

“No. I mean . . .”Shoot.Whatdidshe mean?

They had exited the room, walking down the hall into the great room. Voices.

She slowed, listening.

Her father’s voice.

And Conrad’s.

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