Mark entered the room as effectively, closing the door behind him.

“I’ve one thing for you too,” Mark stated, holding up a white envelope. His face was unusually clean, one thing Bridget had by no means seen earlier than. He was a mild man who’d by no means checked out her with something lower than kindness or humor.

“What’s it?”

“We have been hoping you possibly can inform us. Once we awoke in an empty mattress, we have been nervous we’d overwhelmed you. Matt steered we get you flowers.”

She smiled and hoped they couldn’t see the tears gathering in her eyes. “I just like the flowers.”

Mark didn’t acknowledge her remark. “On the way in which to city, we stopped by Ellen Updyke’s home this morning to supply our condolences to her niece and to see if she wanted assist with something. Her aunt’s funeral is in the present day.”

A ball of ice shaped in her abdomen. She tried to disregard it and concentrate on their considerate gesture. “That was good of you.”

He nodded, however didn’t return her smile or acknowledge her praise. “Her niece was cleansing up the home, preparing for the reception after the funeral.”

The occasion she and Rodney had deliberate to crash. Appeared like that plan was shot to hell.

Then she puzzled the place Mark going with this entire dialog. Clearly one thing had occurred at Ellen’s home. Had the hit man proven up there?

Her voice was weak with concern and dread. “Why are you telling me all this?”

“Gretchen, Ellen’s niece, was together with her aunt when she handed away. Stated one of many final issues her aunt did earlier than she died was hand her this letter, telling her to protect it rigorously and by no means present it to anybody. Stated to be looking out for the girl whose title was written on the entrance.”

Mark flipped the letter over and Bridget gasped. Written in Lyle’s distinctive scrawl was her title, however there was no method Matt and Mark may know that. She’d launched herself as Carson.

“Bridget Wilder?”

“You,” Matt stated.

She checked out her different lover. He’d been silent since handing her the flowers. It wasn’t like him to be quiet. “Me?”

Matt took her continued denial like a punch within the face. She felt sick to her abdomen, sorry concerning the lies. “I typed Bridget Wilder and New York Metropolis into my iPhone. Pulled up an article a couple of reporter who’d gone into protecting custody after witnessing a homicide. Even had an image of you.”

They knew.

“So this Gretchen, she confirmed the letter to you?”

She and Rodney had been proper. Lyle’s code had led them to Saratoga and his godmother, Ellen, however how may she clarify this to the 2 males looking at her with all of the sudden offended eyes?

Mark nodded. “Not like her aunt, Gretchen’s not precisely identified for her capacity to maintain a secret or thoughts her personal enterprise. She was dying to open the letter and requested my recommendation. After I noticed the title Bridget, one thing clicked. I instructed her I knew you and that I’d ship it for her. Evidently, she was upset. I count on her to name me someday within the subsequent twenty-four hours to grill me about you.”

Matt took a step nearer to her. “You need to inform us why Ellen Updyke had a letter along with your title written on it, Bridget? I get that you just’re in protecting custody, and I believe it’s fairly fucking apparent that Rodney’s not your brother. However none of what I learn in that newspaper explains why you’re right here, hiding in plain sight. I assumed secure homes have been secluded locations tucked away in the course of nowhere.”

She sighed, silently wishing Rodney was right here. He’d know tips on how to proceed. Her coronary heart longed to inform them the entire reality, however she feared it might be too late. How would they really feel as soon as she revealed how badly she’d misled them? She’d let issues go method too far together with her good-looking twins. The day of reckoning was at hand.

“I think I’ll discover a key in there.” It wasn’t the reply they have been hoping for, but it surely was probably the most innocuous one she may give them. Her coronary heart was racing a mile a minute. She’d lived each second of the previous six months leaping at shadows and working for her life, however she’d by no means felt true concern till this second.

Would they forgive her for her deception? How would they really feel after they realized of her position in Lyle’s loss of life? She couldn’t forgive herself for letting her buddy die. How may she ask them to?

“A key?” Matt requested.

She nodded and reached for the envelope. Mark handed it to her. She needed to open it, however she hesitated.

“Go on,” Matt prodded, his phrases nearly a dare.

They have been nervous about her. She knew that. They’d identified from nearly the beginning that she was hiding one thing from them, however she’d piled lie upon lie slightly than supply them the belief they’d given her so utterly.

She took a deep breath and opened the envelope. A small key fell out into the palm of her hand. The letter inside merely stated First Financial institution, 348 Predominant Road, Saratoga.

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