Page 134 of This is Why We Lied

Will kept pace with her. “There’s a set of French doors off the back.”

“On it.” Faith peeled off.

Will scanned the area, checking windows and doors to make sure no one was going to surprise them. He knew that the front door wouldn’t be locked. He walked in without knocking.

“Shit!” Keisha jumped up from the couch. “What the fuck, Will?”

It was the same reaction she’d had before, but this time, Will knew exactly what he was looking for. “Stay here.”

“What do you mean, stay here?” Keisha tried to follow him to the back, but Faith stopped her. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Special Agent Faith Mitchell—”

Will pulled a glove out of his pocket as he approached the toilet. He used the nitrile as a barrier between his fingers and the porcelain as he removed the lid.

The broken knife handle was exactly where Sara had described. A thin piece of metal was preventing the flapper from making a seal. Which didn’t make sense. If Drew had put the handle in the toilet tank, why was he looking for Christopher to stop the leak?

Or, was Drew worried about the cottages being searched, so he’d cleverly rigged the toilet to make it seem like he wasn’t the one who’d hidden the knife handle?

Will wasn’t sure about anything except that the killer liked water. Mercy had been left in the lake. Chuck had died in the creek.

“Will!” Keisha shouted. “Tell me what the hell is going on.”

He carefully laid the tank lid on the bathmat by the tub. Faith was physically blocking Keisha when he went back into the living room. He told her, “Secure the evidence.”

“What evidence?” Keisha asked. “Why are you doing this?”

“I need you to go to the cottage next door with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Keisha said. “Where is my husband?”

“Keisha,” Will said. “Either go with me on your own or I will physically take you there.”

Her face turned ashen. “I’m not talking to you.”

“I understand,” he said. “But I need you to go to the other cottage so we can search your things.”

Keisha’s teeth were clenched. She looked angry and terrified, but thankfully, she walked out onto the porch.

Sara was standing in the middle of the compound. Will knew why she was there. She wanted to face Keisha, to give her a chance to yell at the person who had caused this. Will didn’t care about Keisha’s feelings of betrayal. He wanted Sara off this mountain as soon as possible.

“This way.” Will directed Keisha toward cottage four. She glanced back at Sara before she walked up the stairs. She opened the door. Four was exactly like three. Same layout. Same furniture. Same windows and doors.

Will said, “Sit down on the couch, please.”

Keisha sat with her hands between her knees. The anger had left her. She was visibly shaken. “Where’s Drew?”

“My associate is looking for him.”

“He didn’t do anything, okay? He’s cooperating. We’re both cooperating and following orders. We’re complying. All right? Sara did you hear that? We’re complying.”

Will felt his stomach twist into a knot at the sight of Sara.

“I heard,” Sara told Keisha. “I’ll stay with you while we work this out.”

“Yeah, well, I made the mistake of trusting you before, and look where I’m at now.” Keisha put her fist to her mouth. Tears streamed from her eyes. “What the hell happened? We came up here to get away from this shit.”

Will watched Sara sit down in one of the club chairs. She was looking at him like she wanted guidance when his guidance had been for her to stay outside.