Page 58 of Kill Your Darlings

“Who’s U.N.Owen?”

That wasn’t the question I expected.I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or not.“I think he’s an author by the name of Troy Colby.”

“And you know him how?”

“I don’t.I don’t think I do.He handed me this manuscript after the Stranger Than Fiction panel and kept going.I was talking to Rachel and didn’t get a good look at him.”

“But you know his name…how?”

“Colby lives at the address on the title page.”

Finn didn’t have to glance down.“In Steeple Hill?”

“Yes.”

“Where you went yesterday.”It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.”

“What did he have to say for himself?”

Again, not the question I expected.“I didn’t speak to him.”

Finn said nothing.

I said, “According to his neighbor, Colby is here.”

“Here?At the conference?”

“Yes.”

Finn frowned.“But you haven’t spoken to him?”

“Until yesterday afternoon, I wouldn’t have known who to ask for.By the time I got back last night…”

My words dried up as I remembered the reason for the delay.The funny thing was it was already starting to feel distant.Unreal.A terrifying dream—but a dream.

It wasn’t a dream, though.I hadn’t imagined it.

“You were running late.”

“Yes.I had a…flat on the drive back to Monterey.”The habit of keeping things to myself was so deeply ingrained that even now I was stalling telling the complete story.“I don’t know why—it never occurred to me that he was still at the conference.I assumed his purpose in showing up was to deliver the manuscript.Apparently, he actuallyisan aspiring writer.”

Finn looked thoughtful.“Is it possible you previously rejected one of his manuscripts?Maybe you had a run-in at another conference?”

If so, it seemed like an extreme reaction.“It’s possible.”

“You don’t think so?”

“I don’t know.It wouldn’t explain how he knows…”

“Right.Given your reaction, I’m taking it for granted this manuscript isn’t a prank or a stunt.How much of it is accurate?”

“Someone knows more than I would have thought possible.But it’s wrong on key points.”

That there was no actual location given, beyond outside at night, was interesting.Some of it could certainly have been guesswork.Or simply the most likely scenario?

His green gaze was serious, steady.“Such as?”