Chapter 40

Maisy’s hadher hand on Bastian’s arm since they reached the edge of the clearing and stopped behind a large sycamore tree to watch the confrontation between Chloe and Rich. She knows Bastian yearns to go to his wife. She feels his muscles under her hand tensing and straining. She’s held him back to let the scene play out, to give Chloe this closure and to give Rich the rope he needs to hang himself. She’s recording because, of course, she is. It’s her job. But she forgets about the recorder and the podcast as she watches the ghosts of Dead Man’s Hollow being exorcised.

Now, though, it’s time. She releases Bastian’s arm.

He doesn’t hesitate. He lowers his head and charges at Rich like a bull. Rich has caught Chloe by the wrists, pinning them together to ward off the flurry of blows she was raining down on him. Maisy runs after him.

Rich must hear him coming. He weaves to the side, out of Bastian’s path, pulling Chloe with him.

Chloe’s eyes widen, and she screams her husband’s name. Maisy exhales in relief. Chloe remembers. She hasn’t had a dissociative episode.

Rich drags Chloe off the path, toward a stand of trees. Bastian turns around, his arms hanging loosely by his sides as he pants.

“Let her go,” he orders.

Rich’s voice is ragged. “No, she’s screwed everything up. I’m not letting her ruin my life. Not after all this time.”

From behind, Maisy takes a cautious step toward him, slow and quiet, like he’s a deer she’s trying not to spook. She locks eyes with Bastian, who understands the assignment instantly.

“It’s too late, Rich. You can’t cover this up any longer. The truth will come out whether you try to silence Chloe or not. It’s over.” He speaks in a soothing tone.

Rich tightens his grip on Chloe, who struggles against him, elbowing him and wriggling as best she can. “I’ll kill her.”

Maisy takes another silent step.

A wave of emotion washes over Bastian’s face. “Think about it, Rich. Everyone saw you leave the house with her,” he lies. “You’ll go to prison. Emilie will lose her mother. Your children will lose their father. This isn’t the way to end this.”

“She killed a boy, and I saved her. I’m not going down for it now. I won’t,” Rich babbles.

Maisy creeps forward. She’s close enough now to reach out and touch his back. She takes a breath and is raising her arms, prepared to act, when Chloe twists around. Her eyes widen when she sees Maisy.

Chloe gives her the in she needs by distracting Rich. Still sobbing, she yells directly in his face, “I didn’t kill him! Frankie did!”

Maisy sees the exact moment that Rich registers surprise as his shoulders inch down.

“You remember that night?” he rasps.

Before Chloe can answer, Maisy pounces. She plants her feet, then wraps her right arm around Rich’s neck, pressing the pit of her elbow against his throat and grasping her left hand to create a headlock. She pulls up and back with all her strength, nearly lifting him off his feet.

Chloe elbows him in the chest and wrests free. She runs to Bastian, who embraces her, then holds her at arm’s length as if he’s inspecting her for damage.

“A little help?” Maisy shouts as Rich bucks and squirms, trying to dislodge her.

Bastian closes the distance between them and grabs Rich by his shirt collar. “I’ve got him from here.”

Maisy relaxes her grip and sinks to her knees as the adrenaline drains from her body. She fumbles for her phone to place the call to 911 while her recorder continues to run.