Page 123 of Tear Me Apart

She dials his number with shaking hands. He answers right away.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Zack. I just got off the phone with my lab. I...they found Lauren’s DNA at your house. It’s a part of the evidence Starr brought from Nashville.”

“What?”

“I know, it’s kind of hard to believe.” A branch starts to wave, scratching up against the deck. “I’m stunned. I don’t know what this means, or how, or why, but I have to find out what’s happening.”

“You said you were from Murfreesboro. How old was Lauren when you moved?”

“Sixteen. Seventeen. I don’t know.”

“Did she ever get treatment for depression?”

“What? No. Not that I know of. I was a kid, Zack. Why?”

“Vivian hid her world from me. Lauren’s been lying to you. I just wondered if they knew each other.”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to go back to the hospital. I’ll talk to her, figure this out.”

Juliet hears the whine of an engine, then the crunch of gravel.

“Never mind. She’s here. I see the car. She’s pulling in the drive.”

There’s a new urgency in his voice, and he’s louder, more commanding. “I’m on my way. Do not confront her alone.”

“Zack, it will be fine. This is my sister. There’s an explanation, I know there is. She can’t be responsible for this.”

“Juliet. Wait for me to get there to talk to her.”

“Gotta go. I’ll talk to you shortly.”

“Juliet, no. Wait for me. You’re not—” But she hangs up as Lauren pulls to a stop and gets out of the car. Looks up at the deck. She seems dazed, exhausted, and despite herself, Juliet feels the urge to comfort her.

“You okay?” Juliet calls down. “I thought you were sticking close to the hospital.”

“I wasn’t feeling well. I came to get some medicine.”

“I’m sorry. But I’m glad you’re here. We need to talk. Come on up. I’ll make you some peppermint tea.”

Juliet goes back inside, closes the door to the deck firmly. She turns on the fireplace with a click of the remote, fills the electric kettle, pulls out the teapot, finds the honey she loves. A cup won’t hurt her, either, her stomach is churning. Lauren in Nashville? Why? How? And what does it mean?

Worse, what did she do?

73

They sit face-to-face in the dining room, their elegant china cups in saucers on the thick wooden table. A tea party. Juliet has the page she’s printed out facedown, one hand on top of it as if she can contain its truth if it stays hidden. Lauren sips her tea, quiet and still. She doesn’t look ill. She looks...watchful. As if she knows what’s to come.

Juliet sets her cup on the saucer with an audibleconk. Her hands are shaking. She has never seen her sister’s face so carefully blank, and it’s freaking her out. But she must get to the bottom of this. Lauren knows more than she is saying.

Juliet takes a deep, steadying breath. She should let Woody and Parks do this. She knows this. But it’s her sister. Hersister.

“I know you’re stressed about Mindy, but we have a problem. And we don’t have much time. You need to tell me the truth, Lauren. Your honesty is the only way I’m going to be able to help you.”

“What are you talking about?”

Juliet flips the paper over. “Your DNA was found at the Vivian Armstrong crime scene.”