Page 9 of One Last Night

This is an instance where it is not only acceptable but right for me to snoop. I leave the room and look down the hallway for the source of the footsteps. When I see it, I call in a soft voice, “Luann? Is everything all right?”

The poor girl jumps nearly out of her skin. She gasps and spins around, staring at me in shock.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” I say. “Are you all right? Did you hear your father on the phone?”

“Shh!” she hisses, looking around anxiously. Perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned thatIoverheard her father.

She rushes to me without warning, gripping my arm so hard that it makes me wince. She pulls me into her room, shuts the door behind her and says, “Swear to me you’ll keep it secret.”

I blink. "That you heard your father on the phone?"

She rolls her eyes.“No. Just… Swear that you’ll keep it secret.”

“Keep what secret?”

“No! You have to swear.”

I give her a frank look. “I can’t make that promise if I don’t know what your secret is. Part of my job is to keep you safe. Young women sneaking out of their rooms at night is hardly safe.”

She flinches at that, then turns away and looks pensively at the wall. I notice a mark on her neck, and the secret becomes a little clearer. “Is this about a boy, Luann?”

She flinches again. Oh yes, this is certainly about a boy.

“You can’t tell anyone,” she begs. “Please.”

Tears are forming in her eyes. I have to stifle a smile. I can’t recall the number of times I caught Annie sneaking out to meet boys. I was always more sensible myself, but I can’t fault a youngwoman for behaving the way most young women do. “How old is this boy.”

“He’s my age. Okay? He’s sixteen. We didn’tdoanything either. We just made out a little bit. But if my Dad finds out, he’llkillme. Likeliterallykill me.”

“I’m sure your father won’t actually murder his daughter for sneaking out to meet a boy,” I tell her, “but I won’t tell anyone. However, I can’t allow you to be sneaking out of the house at night. There are worse things than teenage boys lurking in the shadows. You and your paramour will have to find another way to meet.”

“Okay,” she says quickly. “That’s fine. Justpleasedon’t tellanyone.”

No doubt she’s only agreeing with me to shut me up. I’ll have to keep a close eye on her. Still, she isn’t in any danger at the moment.

“All right. As I said, your secret’s safe with me.”

She breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

I grin. “So tell me about this boy.”

“No. Get out.” She sighs. “Sorry, I… It’s personal, okay? I’m sure you’re nice, but I’m not going to talk about my boyfriend with you.”

I lift my hands in surrender. “All right. You’re right, that was too personal of a question. I only hope you’re being safe.”

She shakes her head and waves her hands. “Oh my God, I’m being safe. I told you we’re not doing anything. Can we just not talk about it anymore? Please?”

“Very well,” I say gently. “I won’t talk about it anymore. Good night, Luann.”

“Good night, Mary. Sorry, I just… Well, good night.”

She opens the door for me and just manages not to slam it when I leave. I chuckle as I return to my room. It’s rather fitting that the night of mystery begins with an old scandal of achild born from adultery, progresses to a serious mystery that could possibly threaten the family, then ends on something as harmless as a sixteen-year-old girl sneaking out of the house to make out with her boyfriend. Perhaps this is a sign that I should stop imagining the worst. Not all secrets are damaging. Some are just embarrassing.

Still, the argument Julian was having seemed more than just embarrassing. Whatever scandal he’s hiding is a little more serious than an innocent tryst under the moonlight.

Or perhaps it isn’t. Trysts aren’t always so innocent. Julian has been widowed for a long time. Perhaps he felt the urge to sow some wild oats and planted them in someone else’s garden. Ifthatsecret were exposed, it would be both embarrassinganddamaging.

But is it really the sort of damage that I need to interfere with? I’ve solved murders and dealt with traumatic histories before this. A sex scandal isn’t usually something so traumatic it needs immediate attention from the nosy governess playing at being a sleuth.

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