Chapter 16: The Rest of the File

Nico's POV

After Gemma drove off to her father's house, I went back to the folder.

I had read the top half in the dark, hurt and angry. I wanted to read the bottom half in daylight.

The boathouse was cold. I lit the stove and sat at the table with the elastic band around my wrist.

Under the napkin, the pages changed.

They were not bank statements anymore. They were lists, in the same small neat hand.

*Black, two sugars. Cook at the Villa says he drinks it standing up at the loading door, never sits.*

*Forgets lunch on delivery days. Keeps a bag of almonds in the glove box for it.*

*Hums when he lifts. Doesn't know.*

*Laughs only once he's sure the room is safe.*

I put my hand flat on the page.

She had written down how I take my coffee before I had said a word to her about anything.

I turned the page.

At the bottom of the pile was a letter on lined paper, folded in thirds, with my name on the outside.

It was dated eleven months ago. It had never been sent.

*Nico,*

*You won't remember me, so I'll start there. I'm the girl from the garden. You said you'd call.*

*I found out something about your life that you ought to know, and I can't think how to tell you without it sounding like a woman with a motive.*

*I have one. I want you to know that. I will tell you the motive when I have to, and not before.*

The page ended in the middle of the line.

On the back, in the corner, one more sentence was written small.

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