Page 95 of Everyone’s a Liar

“Not until recently,” Livia said, a hint of frustration in her tone. “I have zero doubt that my uncle has managed to destroy what my ancestors created. I don’t care what happens to the Benoits, but there are a lot of employees who depend on us to give them a paycheck.” She shook her head. “I certainly couldn’t have done any worse in protecting their futures.”

“Have you considered the fact that you might have a shot at running the company once the truth is revealed?” Bryce demanded. “Whatever that truth might be?”

Livia snorted. “My uncle would never give up control.”

“He might not have a choice.”

Livia sent her a shocked glance, as if she hadn’t even considered what would happen if Adrian was connected to Larry Sutton’s death. Then she shook away the suggestion with palpable revulsion.

“Even if you’re right, everything would go to Celeste, thank God.”

“You wouldn’t fight her?”

“No.”

Bryce arched her brows. She’d never liked spending time at the Willows, but there was no denying it was a beautiful estate that had to be worth a couple million dollars. Maybe more. Would Livia really give up such a lavish property so easily?

“It’s a lot to walk away from,” she pointed out.

Livia shuddered. “I would rather watch it burn to the ground than own it. I think it’s cursed.”

Bryce returned her attention to the dark highway, suddenly reminded of Finn’s words when he spoke about the mansion.

“You’re not the only one,” she murmured. “There are people in Rushville who believe the land belongs to the original tribes who lived in the bayou and that it was stolen by the Benoits.”

Bryce could feel Livia studying her with an unwavering intensity. “Do those people include the gorgeous Sheriff Finn?”

Bryce felt her cheeks redden and she silently cursed her reaction. She had to stop acting like a teenager with a crush whenever Finn’s name was mentioned.

“He did mention that some of the elders spoke of the land eventually purging itself of its taint,” she admitted.

“Taint?” Livia sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s the word he used?”

“Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have repeated that.” Bryce regretted her loose tongue. “You know how people talk in a small town.”

“No, it’s fine. I think they’re right. There’s some sort of taint or curse hanging over the Willows. And it’s only getting worse.” Bryce felt her friend shiver. “The ghosts refuse to rest. At some point the darkness has to be exorcised.”

Her words whispered through the air, hanging between them like a harbinger of doom. Bryce tightened her fingers on the steering wheel, pressing her foot on the gas pedal. Neither spoke as they reached Rushville and Bryce circled the edge of town to take the road that had once led to the swamps. A few miles down the narrow lane, Bryce reached down to shut off her headlights before she gunned the engine and drove straight through the single chain that was stretched from one fence post to another. There’d never been a proper gate put up since everyone in the area understood that the Benoits would have you thrown in jail if they caught you anywhere near their land.

Bryce made a face as she heard the chain scrape against her bumper, but it quickly snapped, allowing her to hope that it hadn’t done more than cosmetic damage. The vehicle technically belonged to the parish. She didn’t want the headache of filling out endless forms to get it repaired.

They slowly bumped and rattled their way past the Durand estate before pulling off the road to park behind a large elderberry bush. Off to the left, the soft glow of outdoor lights from the Willows spilled across the road.

“This is as close as I can get without being seen from the house,” Bryce announced, crawling out of the SUV and opening the door to the back seat so she could grab a flashlight and her phone.

Livia quickly joined her, pointing to a narrow gap in the thick vegetation directly in front of them. “The spot we’re looking for is toward the center of the bayou. Not far from the old trading post.”

“I’m going to send Finn a text, to tell him where we’re going,” Bryce said, quickly typing in a short message before shoving the phone into her back pocket. “I’m not expecting any trouble, but better safe than sorry.”

“Good idea,” Livia agreed.

Together they entered the bushes and tangled vines that formed a physical barrier along the edge of the swamp. Bryce cursed as a thorn scratched her cheek, pausing to switch on the heavy-duty flashlight. They were far enough away from the road not to attract attention and she wasn’t going to risk falling into one of the canals that spread like spiderwebs through the mossy ground. Not only was the brackish water disgusting, but there were alligators and snakes and a dozen other nasty critters waiting in the shallows.

Livia forged ahead, shoving aside the low tree branches and battling through the undergrowth. She was clearly a woman on a mission and while Bryce sympathized with her impatience, she didn’t want her friend stumbling into trouble.

“Careful, Livia,” she called out in soft tones. “Your uncle might not have been lying about the quagmire.”

Livia didn’t look back, but she did slow her pace as the ground grew spongy beneath their feet and the bushes were replaced with tufts of cattails. Even the trees transformed from towering barriers that blocked their path into hollow gray stumps that stuck out from pools of water.