Page 9 of Things Left Unsaid

“FromDallas?”

“Yeah. The Ewings hated the Barnes, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Except, in this instance, the Barnes lost their fortune after the war and the Ewings have gazillions. The Pigeon Creek Ewings are the Korhonens and Zee’s a Barnes.

“Zee was found… People spotted her hanging around outside so they thought she set it. But she didn’t.”

“Of course not. This is Zee we’re talking about.”

“I was different then. Grieving,” I croak, staring blankly at the tiny sclerified cells I’d piped earlier onto the palm tree's bark. “It’s why they tried to tar and feather me even though they’d known me my whole life.”

“Rachel never mentioned you having a juvie record. I guess it’d have been sealed?—”

“It was an accident.” Tee presses herself tighter into my side. It's invasive and exactly what I need. “No one was ever arrested. They said it was some faulty wiring that caused the fire.”

Nobody, aside from Tee, had ever believed that.

Colton didn’t have faith in me.He’d lied to make sure I wasn’t punished.That, more than anything, broke my heart.

Faulty wiring, my ass.

But who was going to believe me, the troubled girl who’d just lost her brother and was acting out? Not a single damn person. That’s who. Hell, the town didn’t even believe the alibi Colt gave me.

“It took a while for that report to come out,” Tee continues. “Especially with the bodies and the insurance. The barn was full of horses.”

Parker flinches. “Oh.”

“They say my grandmother bribed the RCMP?*sergeant to keep me from being arrested.”

The shame of those days makes the prospect of returning home a thousand times worse.

Parker whistles. “Is that true?”

“She never told me if it was. They didn’t pull me in for questioning.”

Personally, I thought Colt’s alibi held more weight than anythingGrand-mèremight have done…

Mygrand-mère, after all, still believes I did it.

If anything, she’s more ashamed that I gotcaughthurting the Korhonens than the fact I could have committed such a horrible crime.

“Zee, this is nuts.”

“You’re telling me.” My spoon clatters against the bowl as I drop it. “I-I didn’t do it, Parker.”

“What do you think all that laughing was about? Of course, you didn’t.”

Tee squeezes my shoulder in reassurance, but before she can say another word, Parker croaks, “You said Korhonen. That’s not a common name… Are we talking abouttheKorhonen?”

“He’s the one thing Pigeon Creek did right,” Tee drawls.

“My God. You grew up with Cole Korhonen?!”

“Parker, restrain yourself. Jeez. You can pepper me with questions later. For now, I can only handle one meltdown and Zee’s is more urgent than your hockey-related crisis.” Though Parker huffs, Tee ignores her. “Seriously, Zee, do you want me to come with you? There’s enough money for two return tickets.”

“Even though it’s going to be the same temperature as our freezer this weekend?” I force myself to tease, trying not to jump at the offer in case she changes her mind.

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