Page 59 of Dead Man's Alibi

And that was something she’d spent a lot of her adult life telling herself she had to be.The past year had been a lesson in letting people back in, trusting love again, and if she didn’t trust itnow, that was a disservice to Nate.

So she was going to trust.Even when she had doubts.

She followed up on a few emails, set a temporary out of office up on both her and Nate’s emails.Just when she was finishing up, the bell tinkled and Sam looked up.

It was another one of those split-in-half moments.Then.Now.Some of thatthentrauma walked right through the Honor’s Edge front door.

Her Aunt Lisa hadn’t changed much in the course of Sam’s life.A few more wrinkles, a few more greys, but she was one of those women who’d looked like she was in her sixties when she had been in her thirties, and now that she wasinher sixties, looked nearly exactly the same.

After her mom had died when Sam was ten, Lisa had been the maternal figure in her life.When Dad had gone to jail, Lisa had been there.

And when Sam had helped discover the truth about what Dad had done when he’d gotten out of jail, Lisa had blamed Sam.She had insisted Sam should have cared more about her father than the truth.Than justice.

Sam hadn’t seen her in months.They hadn’t even exchanged an awkward phone call over Christmas.Sam liked to pretend she was over it.

When faced with the woman in question, she knew she’d lied to herself.

She tried to swallow at the sudden lump in her throat.“Aunt Lisa,” she greeted on a croak.

“Samantha.”Aunt Lisa took a few more steps in.Her expression was certain, her footsteps determined.No discomfort or hesitancy showed on the woman.“I heard about Nate.”

Right.Of course.The news would start to make the rounds.She’d likely have to deal with inquiries from people off the street.

Just like then.

Sam didn’t know what to say to her aunt.Didn’t know what Lisa was trying to accomplish by being here.

“It’s an awful thing for you to have to go through again,” Lisa said gently.

So gently, Sam felt a sharp, old pain straight through the heart.

Sam inhaled, a little sharply.“Yeah, it is.”

“Well, I wanted to stop in and let you know, face to face, if you need anything, you can call me.You always have a place to stay with me if you need it.”

It was such a sudden and unexpected surprise, Sam didn’t breathe for a moment.So many people rallying around her.After being alone for so long.

It really did make it different, just like Landon had said.

Still, with all this different, she knew her aunt wouldn’t appreciate tears.

So she worked very hard to blink them back.“Thank you.I appreciate it.”She had to clear her throat to continue to speak.“I… I’ve been staying with Aly and Landon, but…”

Lisa’s expression went tight and sour.“I’m willing to overlook your feelings for Nate, but if you stay with me, you’ll be staying away from the rest of the Bennets.”

Overlook your feelings for Nate.

Overlook.

“Overlook… Aunt Lisa, Nate didn’t do anything.He didn’tmurderanyone.”

“Neither here nor there.”

“It’s here.For me.”

“The truth,” Lisa said, with such bitterness Sam realized in this moment there wasn’t going to be a magical reconciliation.Maybe Aunt Lisa had some compassion or empathy or something, but she wasn’t going to bend onthe truth.“We all know the truth about the Bennets.”

The Bennets.Who, over the past year, had been more family to her, no matter their pasts.Who had made her feel… part of something.