Page 23 of After We Fall

I level my voice. “I discussed the wedding with a trustworthy acquaintance. And for business purposes, I consulted a senator and his wife about the dates of the reception. Each of them knew there was an impending ceremony, but they didn’t know the time or location.”

“How come your friend is worthy of telling?” Tanya throws her head around with sass. “But no one we know is worthy?”

“This is my job, Tanya. There are pressures on me I need to release. Finding safe people to confide in helps me cope with the stress. I’ve trusted this particular person in the past with sensitive information, so I knew it would be safe.”

The girls ponder my answer while I exhale, grateful no one is pressing anything I mentioned further. Acquaintances and senators in my life are not topics I discuss. With anyone. But glancing at Luke, I catch him observing me. Why do I get the feeling that he wants to know more about my acquaintance and the senator?

Crossing my legs, I fold my hands in my lap.

“Thank you, Penelope.” Luke puts his boots on the ground, leans in, and rests his elbows on his knees, his hands dangling between them. “Anyone else think of anything significant?”

Bianca’s and Tanya’s heads turn to home in on Finley a second time.

“Again? Why me?” Her shriek carries through the room.

“I’m asking each of you,” Luke says.

In a giant gesture, she sweeps her pointer finger in a semicircle at every one of us. “You’re all staring at me.”

Tanya rolls her eyes.

Finley slumps back into the couch, her expression filled with hurt. “You guys think I told someone?”

I inch toward the edge of my chair. “No one thinks you told.”

“I think she told,” Tanya says.

I dash a glare at Tanya.

“I have no reason to think you did, Finley.” Luke’s laser focus doesn’t waver. “But I need you to think through your interactions. Did you mention a wedding to anyone? Maybe it wasn’t about the wedding, but instead a comment about Meredith’s family coming into town? Or changes around the ranch?” He leans back. “There’s no blame here. I’m looking for innocent conversations.”

“You’re always talking to that cute guy on the construction crew,” Tanya says.

This new announcement slices through the fragile peace in the room, and my posture stiffens.

Finley turns a deep shade of red and bounces off the couch to her feet, fists clenched. “I would never cheat on Marcus!”

Tanya matches Finley’s stance but adds a finger point. “You can’t cheat on someone you’re not dating anymore.”

“She’s just not in a good place for a relationship right now,” Bianca says, but her muttered breakup cliché goes unnoticed by the other two girls.

“Ladies, take a seat,” Luke says with a commanding tone.

With huffs all around, the women return to their places on the couch.

“Finley, I’m not questioning your honor, yeah?” Luke waits for her to nod. “Think through anyone you’ve talked to. It could have been recently. It could have been two months ago.”

She stares at the coffee table.

“That goes for the rest of you too.” He glances at the other two girls.

An uneasy silence falls over the room, everyone seemingly in thought.

Tanya, chewing her thumbnail, aims her vacant gaze at the rug. “This is a nefarious situation.”

SAT prep work strikes again. Proud of her for trying even now, I lean toward her and whisper, “This might be an evil situation, Tanya, but I’m wondering if you meant to use the word ‘precarious’?”

“Right, right.” She nods to the floor. “That’s what I meant.”