Page 108 of Coerced

“And don’t say ‘nothing’ because everyone knows something is wrong.” Tara crossed her arms and stood in front of the door. “EvenKerry, who’s usually Captain Oblivious, asked John if he knew what had happened between you two.”

Maddy’s face clearly showed she did not want to talk about it, and I was ready to back off. I mean, who was I to force her to tell me anything?

Tara, though, had other ideas.

“Come on, Mads,” she cajoled. “We’re not asking to be nosy. It bothers us that you’re upset. We want to help if we can.”

Maddy let out a gusty sigh and gave in.

“He knows Aspen was my close friend, but he won’t talk about what happened to her,” she admitted. “I told him I need to know more about how she died, that I need closure, but he won’t say a word.”

I blinked in surprise. Of all the issues I’d imagine the couple might have, this wasn’t one of them.

“Was he with her when she died?” Tara asked. “Is that what you mean?”

“Yes, that’s what I mean. All anyone will tell me is she committed suicide. And no, he wasn’t with her at the time, but he went to the hospital later.”

“I was at the hospital, too,” I murmured. “Remember? We were all at breakfast when my warden found me and asked if I’d try to save her.”

“You were too late, though.” Maddy said. “She was dead before you got there. Right?”

“Yes. And Travis didn’t get there until after we’d dealt with the shrouder attacking Lilas Tyne.”

“Lilas Tyne? Oh, the little girl. The dreamweaver.” Maddy nodded. “Travis said you and Kerry stayed in touch with her.”

“She’s very sweet. Did you know her mother moved them to the Sanctuary after that? We visit with her on the weekends sometimes.” I smiled as I thought about how Kerry interacted with her. Fortunately, Lilas had the patience of a saint.

“Anyway,” Tara said, “what is it you think Travis can tell you, Maddy?”

“How did Aspen commit suicide?” Maddy squared up her shoulders. “How exactly did she do it?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” I asked.

“Yes. Ineedto know the details.”

“I suppose I would, too.” Tara took a deep breath. “Gemma, will you tell us?”

I didn’t want to remember the grisly scene on that blood-soaked gurney, but if it helped Maddy move on, so be it.

“She shot herself in the head with a small handgun. It shattered the back of her skull into a thousand fragments, some of which severed her spinal cord and the rest exploded into her brain.”

Maddy’s hands flew up to cover her mouth, Tara gasped, and both of them stared at me with horrified eyes.

“I would have saved her if I could have.” I touched my fingers to Maddy’s elbow. “And if I’d been there right after she pulled the trigger, maybe I could have, but she was basically dead before she ever got to the hospital.”

Maddy closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, they were ablaze with anger.

“At Reilly’s trial, everyone was so focused on his other crimes that Aspen became an afterthought,” she said. “None of the details came out. What did he do that was so horrible, she shot herself to escape him?”

“We may never know.” I sighed. “Whatever it was, though, it probably weighed heavily on her.”

My heart squeezed with sudden hurt. The days that Kerry’s conscience ate at him were never good days.

“Travis knows what Reilly made her do.” Maddy fisted up her hands. “He has to! He was enthralled right alongside her! He knows more than he’s saying. I’m sure of it!”

“Maybe hecan’ttalk about it,” Tara suggested.

“He’s not enthralled anymore, Reilly Argaud’s in prison, and Whit Anderson’s banished. There’s no reason he can’t tell me!”

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