Page 102 of Our Little Secret

Brooke could stand it no longer. “I heard Neal gave you the loan.”

Leah stiffened.

“Quite a lot, in fact.”

Leah’s gaze darted away, a trace of shame showing before defiance resurfaced. “Neal understands what I’m going through.”

“Again, that’s a helluva lot of money.”

Leah’s lips pursed. “I wouldn’t have asked for it if I didn’t need it.”

“You’ve asked before. And received.”

Her sister stiffened, suddenly uncomfortable.

“What is it, Leah? Why do you keep running to Neal?”

“Whoa,” Leah said, finding her tongue. “You said yourself to ask him, so I did.”

“For more than you asked from me.”

“Yeah.” She lifted a shoulder as if to say,so what? Big deal. “Yeah, I did. And he gave it to me.” She lifted her cup to her lips and stared over the rim. “So sue me.”

“Loanedit to you.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what I meant.” She took a long sip, and Brooke walked to the French doors to stare out at the deck and the yard beyond. Morning had broken, the rain abating, the clouds still threatening, but she could see the entire enclosure.

No Shep.

And somehow Gideon was involved.

She heard an almost inaudible buzzing as she walked into the kitchen.

Leah, standing near the open door to the stairs, said, “What’s that?”

Oh. Crap. She always did have good hearing, had, even as a kid, been listening in everywhere, a regular little snoop.

“My phone,” Brooke said, realizing Leah didn’t know she had two phones or would recognize the subtle difference in the sound of the vibrations between the different cells. But Brooke did instantly. And this time it was her burner phone that was buzzing.

“Probably one of the moms I phoned earlier. I’d better make some calls or at least some texts and explain that Marilee is okay.”

“Oh. Sure. But . . . can you still take me to the airport? My flight’s at eight tonight. I should get there, what—before seven, maybe six forty-five.”

“Yeah, of course.” Brooke’s mind was already racing ahead. Taking Leah to the airport would be a good excuse to finally have it out with Gideon. She would have time alone. Time away.

Leah’s phone rang and she walked to the table and picked it up. Her face twisted. “It’s Sean.”

“Don’t answer it,” Brooke advised.

Leah hesitated.

“You’re divorcing him, right? That’s why Neal loaned—we loaned you the money.”

“Yes, yes, I know, but I still want to hear what he has to say.”

“I wouldn’t,” Brooke said, just as Leah said a crisp, “Hi,” into her phone.

Glancing up at Brooke and obviously not liking her older sister’s expression, Leah cradled the phone to her ear and took her cup with her as she walked to the French doors, stepped onto the deck, and shut the doors firmly behind her. Brooke watched as she leaned over the rail, right next to the birdhouse. All she would have to do was open the lid and she’d see the rat.