They Thought I Was Asleep, So I Let Them Keep Lying novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Diner

I walked into the Harrow Creek diner at eight with my hair still damp and my mother's gray cardigan buttoned to my chin.

Cal and Devin came in behind me and didn't sit.

They stood just inside the door, one on each side, and every head in the room turned.

It was a packed Saturday breakfast.

Half of them had eaten my mother's casserole two days ago.

My uncle sat in the corner booth with a plate of eggs, and he had clearly been talking for two hours.

He saw me, and he smiled.

"There she is," Dale said, not quietly. "Joan's girl. We were just saying how fast grief moves in some people."

Somebody's fork stopped.

I walked the length of the diner.

My shoes were loud on the old tile.

Bev stood behind the counter with the coffeepot in both hands and her mouth pressed flat, and she gave me the smallest nod.

I stopped at Dale's booth.

"Say it again," I said.

"I'm only repeating what the neighbors saw." He spread his hands. "Two men in your mother's house, in the middle of the night, and a policeman at the door at four. Joan would be ashamed."

"Joan loved them."

"Joan paid for that, too."

I felt Cal shift behind me.

I didn't turn around.

I turned to face the room instead.

"I'm Kate Kincaid," I said. "Most of you knew my mother. Some of you were at her funeral on Thursday."

Nobody moved.

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