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Clara could barely see for the rain, but the as the worst Kyla had turned the autumn leaves, so beautiful on the trees, into sainst her face She put an ar over the uneven terrain The leaves and twigs s to find her skin Where the leaves failed the frigid water succeeded It poured up her sleeves and down her back, into her nose and pelted her eyeballs when she squinted the worried I expected you earlier,’ he said, co her Clara stepped back, out of his embrace He looked at her surprised and hurt Then he looked down at her boots, puddling water and aze and auto at the nor Maybe she could just take off her boots, sit down, and not say anything Too late Her ’ She paused, not sure what to say, or how to say it

‘I know I could see it in your face When did you figure it out?’

So, she thought, he’s not going to deny it She didn’t knohether to be relieved or horrified

‘At the party, but I couldn’t get it all I needed time to think, to work it out’

‘Was that why you said "she", when describing the forger?’

‘Yes I wanted to buy some time, maybe even throw the police off’

‘It threwyou meant it But then at the B & B I could see yourto do?’

‘I needed to see if you’d really done it I felt I owed you this, because I love you’ Clara felt nu an out of body experience

‘And I love you,’ he said in a voice that struck her as suddenlyWas it always like this? ‘And I need you You don’t have to tell the police, there’s no evidence Even the tests to I was careful Once I put ood, but you know that’

She did And she suspected he was right The police would have a hard ti him

‘Why?’ she asked, ‘why did you kill Jane? And why did you kill your mother?’

‘Wouldn’t you?’ Ben smiled, and advanced