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AUGUST 2024

DAY 7 IN THE HOUSE

RENNIEwatched Lucille pace.

“What could have happened between them, even? It’s only been a week.” Lucille flung her hands in the air. “And for it to beher, of all people. She could be in on it with Elaine, for all we know!”

At this, Rennie finally rose from the bed. “She’s not. And Elaine’s not either.”

Her sister faced her. “What do you mean?”

Rennie had held her tongue when Lucille and Elaine were fighting. But she had to come clean. She had to finally talk about that night.

Rennie took a deep breath. “Elaine wasn’t the last person to see Ma alive. It was me.”

She waited for Lucille to react. She braced herself for the force of it.

Instead, Lucille simply whispered, “What do you mean? You came with her?”

“No.” Rennie had to force the word out. “Three days before Ma was found on July 25, I spoke to her here, for half an hour? Maybe less. And then I left.” The memory was so vivid, and she had been over it so many times, it was strange to finally say it aloud.

“Why did you—”

“I don’t know how you didn’t see my car on the camera,” Rennie barreled on. “Maybe it was dark, so it didn’t show up. Maybe you weren’t looking on that day. But I was here.”

“That’s not even remotely close to my question. Whyon earthdid you not tell me this entire week?”

“I—” Rennie started and then swallowed. “I don’t know. I’d been meaning to. But I didn’t know where the case was at, and you mentioned settling, so I thought—I thought if anybody could scare Elaine into settling, it would be you. And no one would ever have to know. I’m sorry.”

“Oh God,” Lucille said. She faced the wall and clutched her head. “Oh my God. I can’t even look at you right now.” She whirled around. “What did you two talk about? What did she say?”

It all had to come out now. Rennie admitted, finally, “I came to ask her for money. But then I backed out. And I left. She didn’t say much to me.”

You were the most like me. You became the cruelest.

“But we have nothing now,” Rennie said. “We’re out of moves, aren’t we? So let’s just go. Okay? Let’s listen to Elaine and take the inheritance and leave this all behind us. Let’s go. Please. I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Lucille stared. “All you know how to do is leave, don’t you?”

Rennie flinched.

Lucille started toward her. “I’vebeen grinding my fucking teeth out of my head to try to get us this house back. And all the while, you kept vital information about Ma to yourself.” Rennie tried to back away but Lucille cut in front of her. “You thought you could use Ma and me to get money, and now you want to back out. Now you’re just going to abandon us and disappear like you always do. Right?Right?”

Rennie’s eyes smarted. “I don’t—abandonpeople.” Even as she said this her words sounded empty. In that instant she remembered Ma looking at her in the dim light. Her voice, rasping:You only came here when you wanted something from me.

“You’d ask for my help and then not return my calls.” Lucille’s voice trembled. “Sometimes I wouldn’t even know whatcityyou were in.”

“That’s just—”

“You cut us out of your life,” Lucille spat. “You didn’t even invite me to yourwedding!”

“I eloped!” Rennie was crying now, and it made her feel so stupidand childlike and out of control, but she couldn’t stop. “And it was a godawful sham of a marriage anyway, which is how things usually go for me.” She swiped at her nose with the back of her hand. “All I ever wanted was to doonething that you and Ma would be proud of me for. And I never could.That’sall I can think about when I’m with you. That I’m just a fuckup. A mentally unstable addict, and—it’s better that I stayed out of your lives, don’t you see?”

“That’s not true,” Lucille muttered through gritted teeth.

“That’s what you think of me. And I know it.” Rennie dragged in a shaky breath. “I’ve heard you talking about it with Daniel, and I canseeit when you look at me. I just—” She tried to offer a teary smile. “Oh, never mind. None of this matters anymore. We need to leave this house, Lucille. It’s doing things to me. To your daughter, too.”

Lucille frowned. “What do you mean it’s doing things to Madeline?”