Page 13 of The Summer that Changed Everything

“’Course I know she’s back,” he responded. “Everyone knows she’s back. It’s all I hear about when I go into town.”

“And?” she prompted.

“And what?” he barked.

She heard the edge to his voice, understood what it meant. The slightest thing could set him off. But this was important, so she steeled her nerves and pressed on. “You’re not... uneasy, worried?”

“Why would I be?”

She lowered her voice so that neither of her children—a six-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl—could hear her. She didn’t know exactly where they were, but they were in the house. “Because of what you told me that day in the park!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said dismissively.

Had he been too high to remember that conversation? Or was this pure denial—with a hefty dose of regret for revealingwhat he’d revealed to her in the first place?Shecertainly wished he’d never mentioned it. She’d been wracked with guilt ever since, trying to balance the love and loyalty she felt for him with what she believed to be right. “You told me you made it up!”

“You’re remembering it wrong,” he said. “Without me, the police would’ve had a much more difficult time solving Aurora’s murder. I did them a favor. I did her family a favor, too. Do you think the Clarks wanted McBride to get away with claiming he didn’t do it?”

He could turn things around so quickly—twist them beyond recognition—and didn’t seem to feel even a flicker of remorse. “But you lied!” she reiterated.

“Sometimes lying is necessary,” he responded, a shrug in his voice. “You’re not a child. You know that.”

“When you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, maybe,” she allowed. “But this is different.”

“How? I brought them closure. Hell, I’m proud of myself.”

“But are you sure Mick McBride is the one who killed Aurora?”

“Anna, there couldn’t have been two murderers running around North Hampton Beach at the same time. That’s ridiculous!”

She agreed. That was why she hadn’t come forward, but knowing he’d lied haunted her, troubled her.

Before she could respond, he continued, “Look at it this way. There’ve been no more murders since McBride went to prison. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

“Yes. I guess.” It did mean something, didn’t it? “But... you don’t plan on telling the truth—ever?”

“No! And you’d better stay out of it! It’s over and done with. Everything turned out for the best.”

She could see whyhe’dthink so. He’d been facing arson charges for burning down a house that was, fortunately, empty at the time he started the fire—all to get back at one of hisdruggy friends for ripping him off. Becoming a jailhouse snitch had enabled him to get away with another slap on the wrist. But the truth was the truth. She knew her husband would look at it that way, which was why she’d never told Joel that Reggie had perjured himself. “I just... I wonder if we shouldn’t speak to someone about—”

“Anna, stop!” he broke in. “Do you want me to go back to jail? For what? Telling the truth at this late date would only make everyone mad. And I’m sure the Clarks would want me to remain silent. The same holds true for the prosecutor and the police.”

If only they hadn’t put McBride into Reggie’s cell the day they arrested him... “In other words, the end justifies the means,” she muttered.

“You just need to let it go,” he reiterated. “The decision’s been made. It can’t be undone now.”

But she’d been only sixteen when he’d made her promise she wouldn’t tell anyone! “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive!”

“O-kay,” she said, reluctantly. Then she heard her husband open the slider. “I have to go.”

“But you’re good?”

“I’m good,” she insisted and disconnected.

Her husband had forgotten something in the kitchen. After he came in, he went right back out, giving her a little more time alone, for which she was grateful. Maybe Reggie was right, and she was making a big deal out of nothing.Of courseMick McBride was the one who killed Aurora. Who else would do it?

A strange thought popped into her head, sending a shiver down her spine. Reggie had been out of jail when she was killed. And he’d done some terrible things in his life—besides burning down that house. He’d bullied other kids, sold drugs, broken into cars to steal wallets and purses at the beach, gottentoo physical with his old girlfriend and been in more than his share of bar fights.

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