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His “truth” blasts through unshot, and ular rhyth open again “I don’t believe you”

My parents loved each other They were happy and faithful and…and my mother wouldn’t have done this

Not nineteen years ago

“It’s the truth, Novalee”

The conviction in his voice shoots dread intomy thumb over my mother’s initials on the cover, as if the action will s inside me

“There’s nolike a lifeline “She wrote about it in detail”

I toss the diary on the table as if it burned ery!”

“It’s not a forgery” Reclai his seat, he softens his tone, and his eave it to me when you arrived on the island Her mother kept the journal hidden after your parents died”

My eyes widen “How long has Faye known about this?”

“As far as I’m aware, just a few months”

Betrayal lingers on ue like a bitter pill I don’t want to s “How could she not tell me?” The question is rhetorical, laden with stunned disbelief

Landon answers anyway “Her mother swore her to secrecy”

“That’s no excuse! She’s my lady…my best friend since childhood This doesn’t ive the journal to you?”

“To ensure I don’t bid in the auction”

I can’t breathe, can’t think…I don’t want to think Because thinkingit around infacts based on inference It ht be true The thought torpedoes through my mind, and I think back to the last two months

Landon and his kind, secretive eyes

The way he pushed back against Heath on my behalf at last month’s dinner

And how he gave me an “out” at the iven the choice