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“You asked me about Katie’s father” Her voice was a whisper, thick and ragged

He nodded, speechless

“Years ago, he hiredon a documentary about Creole music and culture I did the work and as a side note told him he should come to Bonne Terre, to see Remy’s It’s a club out in the bayou about ten miles south of here” She took a deep breath and it shuddered at the top “He cae the focus of the docueneration Remy, who still runs the place”

Matt squeezed her shoulder, seeing how this ht pan out

“We started…dating” Her ss she didn’t need to say about those dates “And in time, I told him he should stay at the Manor He stayed on and off for three months and I—” She shook her head and looked at her hands, unfurling them to reveal moon-shaped divots made by her nails He wanted to kiss those divots Kiss every pain she ever felt “I was stupid in love Stupid And I thought he was, too So, when I got pregnant, I thought it would all work out”

“It didn’t”

“He was o”

He closed his eyes and swore

She laughed, a brittle, slightly hysterical sound “I’ve blamed myself for nine years Every whisper behind my back Every slur painted on our walls, I’ve accepted them as payment for my sins”

“But you didn’t know,” Matt said

“I’et taken Not like you”

She reached up and touched his fingers, lacing hers between his, strong and fragile at the saainst his skin The urge to pull her close, bend that strong body against his was like a riptide, pulling hi

“If he didn’t tell you, you couldn’t know, Matt It wasn’t your job You can stop bla you had no control over”

“It’s not the sa his hands free

“It’s not?”

“Lives are ruined!” he yelled “Peter is dead His girlfriend is alone Jack is bankrupt”