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Oakley’s house was set up like a backward L with the garage tacked onto the house to the left fore door that came in off the street, then there was a side door that led into the mudroom, and into the kitchen Then there was the other door out of the garage that led to the back yard The back yard had an entrance that led right into the living room

I highly doubted that Bella would’ve locked herself in, either If she’d known that she’d been caught stealing, she would’ve left the scene She wouldn’t have stayed and opened more boxes

She also wouldn’t have brandished a weapon

But, Jackson said that she had one

It’d been Oakley’s, of course, but it hadn’t even been operational She’d apparently gone duck hunting with her brother when she was younger and had broken the shotgun that she’d used after falling over the side of the boat It’d taken her teeks, but she’d finally found the shotgun that had been subed in a pond for all that time

She’d kept the broken shotgun for sentimental value, but anybody with half a brain could tell that the shotgun wasn’t functional

The stock was broken in half and swelled froed, and the barrel was stained a muddy brown

Honestly, he really should’ve been able to tell that the gun wasn’t functional I’d taken one look at it lying beside Bella’s body and had known it wasn’t capable of firing a shell

“My mom hasn’t shown back up yet,” I said softly “But there’s no doubt in my mind that she was there It was likely her idea”

Which I hated Myas hers was easier

Hence the reason I hated her guts

I just wished it’d been her that had died in Oakley’s old house, and not Bella

Bella was still at least—or had been—young enough to turn her life around But now she would never have the chance to do that

“Do you think she saw anything?” Oakley asked “I mean, honestly, she couldn’t have left that back yard She had to have been hiding in it or I would’ve seen her I could see a pretty long way off I didn’t see anything at all”

I reached for her hand and brought it to my lips

“I’oing to take her to the police station andJackson is playing a game that we don’t know the rules to”

“A ga,” Oakley mutteredChapter 19I think I’ve passed my best use by date

-Text from Pace to Oakley

Pace

Weat the house looking forbidding

“Your brother’s pissed,” I said

“My brother’s pissed,” she agreed “Really pissed”