Page 27 of Little Bitter Truths
The change in her expression was subtle but noticeable.
“How is he?”she asked.
“Grieving.He admitted something I think you should know.It’s the main reason I stopped by.Cooper was at your house the night Wren died.”
She shook her head, staring at me as if waiting for me to tell her I was kidding.“Hewhat?”
“He said he arrived around dinnertime and left around seven thirty.”
Her face went pale.“I don’t understand.Why wouldn’t he mention it to me?”
“It wasn’t just you.Foley and Whitlock didn’t know about it either.”
She leaned back in the chair.“That’s strange.Isn’t it?”
“I’d say so.”
“What reason did he give for keeping it from everyone?”
“He said he was in shock when the police first questioned him, and he was scared.He knew if he mentioned it, they’d consider him a suspect.”
Silence settled over the room for a moment.
“I guess I can see how that would happen,” she said.“But to keep it to himself for all this time?I’m not sure what to make of it.”
“I’m not either.”
She stood.“My throat is dry.I need some water.Would you like some?”
I nodded, and she walked to the kitchen.
Coco remained at my side, her tail thumping.
I glanced around the room.In the far corner there was a piano with a row of framed photographs along the top.Curiosity got the better of me, and I walked over to get a closer look.
The photos told the story of two lives intertwined since birth.
Mia and Wren as children.
Mia and Wren at a birthday party.
Mia and Wren standing beside each other at college graduation.
In every photo, they stood shoulder to shoulder, smiling for the camera.
In that moment, something occurred to me.Sometimes twins went out of their way to look different from each other.But not Wren and Mia.They had the same blond hair, same eyes, and were the same height.I picked up one of the frames and held it in front of me.The resemblance was uncanny.Even their hair was styled the same.
From across the room, the killer may not have been able to tell them apart.
The thought crossed my mind, and once it was there, it refused to leave.
Mia returned carrying two glasses of water, and she handed me one.“Here you go.”
I turned toward her.“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Has anyone ever mistaken you for Wren?”
