Antler Crown, Silent Departure novel · Chapter 22 of 24

Chapter 22: Live

I put on Malcolm's flannel shirt and went down the stairs, with him a step behind me in his jeans.

The pounding had stopped.

Through the shop's front window I could see a woman on the sidewalk, in a wrinkled red dress, holding a phone up at arm's length.

It was Lacey.

She was filming herself.

"I don't want you to go out there," Malcolm said quietly. "I want you to know that. But it's your door."

"I know it's my door."

"Tell me what you want."

I looked at her through the glass.

A line had formed outside the bakery next door, six or seven people waiting for the six o'clock buns, and they had all turned to watch her.

"I want you to stay behind me and not say a word," I said. "Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Good."

I unlocked the door and stepped out.

Lacey swung the phone toward me, and I saw the little red dot and the number of people watching.

It said four hundred.

"There she is!" Lacey said, in a high, bright voice. "Everyone, look at this. The wronged bride, coming out of the brother's shop in his shirt. Tell me that isn't the whole story. She's been sleeping with Malcolm since before the wedding, and I'm the only one honest enough to say it."

Malcolm made a sound behind me.

I held up one hand without turning, and he stopped.

I walked up close, close enough to see my face on her screen.

"Hi," I said to the phone. "I'm Bridget Blythe."

Lacey blinked.

She had not expected me to speak to it.

"I want to answer her," I said. "Yes. I slept with Malcolm last night. I also slept with him once before, after the wedding. Not before it. Every date is after I walked out, and Lacey knows it."

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