THE BRIDE SHE LEFT BEHIND

s clicking across the h

're here. Your car

so loud I was sure she could hear it. The basement evidence w

ackyard. I could slip out, circle around

rs. Greene, creeping down the ba

?" I whispered. "I

Greene hissed. "There's an

lied about w

re tr

, her voice sing-song and terrifying.

her way out. Through Caleb's study. There

udy is

ve been cleaning this house for fifte

ld hear Meredith moving through the ki

ng closer,"

ay I'd never been in before. At

ed, sliding the key into the lock. "

ened with a

ng through a large window. Bookshelves lined the walls

rs. Greene whis

in the dim light, I could see stacks

need to go,

the desk. "Just g

pers were organized in neat piles. Bank statements on the

od wen

them. All with different names

n married to S

on married t

married to Jen

married to Mi

ist w

ooking over my shoulder. "He's be

rom 2015, under the name Derek Thompson. The

hs later, a depo

surance

hompson. Another massive debt. Another mys

ispered. "Then his wife dies,

closer. "I know you can hear me. We re

cates into my jacket and grabb

we go?" A

at the window, trying

s in the hallway

I said, push

nd painted shut. I p

pped right outsid

handle

ith murmured. "

d keys

ad ke

whispered. "He

from the other side. The desk scraped across the

s right on the other side.

inst the desk. She

ed it into the window frame, prying at the paint

e go," I

h called. "I have some things to tell you about your si

. "What

bed my arm. "Don

myself. "What do y

Evelyn was hav

mach d

't as innocent as you think. She was sleeping w

y phone. Evelyn holding hands

Meredith continued. "Take Ash. Take half

," Mrs. Gree

ept into my

e. Evelyn was going to destroy this family. T

Meredith pushed hard

e their marriage. But she was selfish. C

hispered fiercely. "M

the boy. Ask him about the nights she didn't come hom

Ash. His f

sh

sometimes. At night. Af

cracked

d make phon

she told you not to tell Daddy?

ded rel

st like Clara. Just like all of them. They use men like

erything I believed

y? I called out. Wa

surance money? Honey,

ng at them right now. Five hundred thousand

he other sid

What insu

her voice had changed.

shouldn't have gone

d as something heavy sl

Greene ur

en helped Ash. Mrs. Greene was halfway

y door b

there, but sh

was wi

as holdi

aid calmly. "I think i

way through the window. We all three s

I whi

en window. "I know you can hear me. Come back

ll, I m

ow I will. And when I do, it'll b

reene and Ash. My

Mrs. Gre

. Stay off t

toward the treelin

angry now. You have something t

lled over

. And

e trees and s

voice one more time, carr

hen I find you, you're going to wish

e woods, branches scr

we going?

id. Police

ieve us, Mrs.

en they see

ing the marriage certifi

proof no

ped ru

? Mrs. Gre

Front jacket pockets. Back p

th

what'

ame out as

rs. They

pap

The bank statements. Every

ared at me. "W

dropped them. When we wer

have n

head. "We h

ods, three fugitives wi

when I

ing in th

ng cl

, his voice full of

s, Mrs. Gree

as getting lo

ld hear Caleb's voice, c

. Here, boy

ting us li

ble feeling he'd