Page 105 of The Secrets She Keeps

Probably instinctively.

Just like she’d shifted in front of Hope. Protecting her baby sister from the biggest threat in the room.

From Daniel.

“Go on, McKellen. Just rip off the Band-Aid. Nothing you say tousnow is going to shock us, considering,” Heather said, shifting her sleeping baby in her arm gently. “Just get it out there so we can find the bastards who did this. I really want to make them pay right now. Every time I move, actually. So just get on with it.”

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What Daniel was saying wasoverwhelming. Powell was trying to make sense of it. They’d found sixteen DNA samples on Heather’s clothes that corresponded to Heather’s family—or Powell, Alex, and Mac. Alex had apparently touched that sweatshirt at some point. WhileCarahad been wearing it. Mac…Mac’s DNA had gotten on Heather when he’d held her up outside the hospital.

It made Powell sick to even think about what Heather had gone through after Powell had left her behind. Literally sick.

It took everything she had to keep from losing what little she had eaten that day as the Colesons discussed the sheer amount of DNA on that sweatshirt. In great detail.

Powell had never experienced anything like a conversation with the Colesons all at once. It was insane. Somehow, it turned into a lengthy conversation about DNA and germs and theories. Powell was definitely not keeping up today.

Daniel was getting to the hard part. It was on his handsome face. And she saw knowledge of that in Haldyn’s face, too, as her bestie on the planet looked at the reports in her hand. Haldynhad thatlook,the one that said she was thinking. Haldyn had kind of a scary mind, no denying that.

“Okay, before we get too deeply into what brought you all here,” Bonnie said suddenly, standing with Miguel Rodriguez’s sweet little toddler in her arms. “Heather Holly needs a break. And this baby girl needs a diaper change.”

No one argued with Bonnie—Powell had caught on to that fast. If Bonnie said Heather needed a break, Heather was getting a break. Period.

They shuffled babies around until Alex somehow ended up with the still-sleeping Ember, who had woken long enough to take a small bottle and get changed.

Powell just watched for a moment as her brother cuddled a baby like he’d done it a million times.

Something she knew definitely hadn’t happened often.

He really did seem to be inching his way into the Colesons. Like he almost belonged there, or something. Cara sat on the floor next to him. She’d just ended up there, somehow. Like it was where she belonged too.

“I need to check on my monsters, as well. Make sure Maris hasn’t been driven insane yet. That girl has nerves of steel, that one,” Joy said, standing. “Heath, I’ll check on Frankie.”

Just like that, Colesons started moving around. Except for Heather and Hope, who were ordered to stay put under threat of Bonnie’s wrath if they moved. With Miguel standing guard over them both.

Powell listened as her brothers and Gunnar, Daniel, Jarrod, Murdoch, Zoey and Haldyn and Hope made small talk. She was just so tired. All she wanted to do was sleep. But she forced herself to keep her eyes open.

“There’s a quilt on the couch behind you if you’re chilled. One of Marcia’s, she does beautiful work,” a soft voice said next to her. She turned.

Heather was there in the corner of the couch next to the loveseat. They had multiple couches and chairs in the room. It made it feel very welcoming.

Powell shifted closer, laying her head on the armrest of the loveseat between them. Her eyes met Heather’s. “I want to stay awake for this. I am not sure what’s going on.”

“I am not either. But there was something found on my shirt that they think is important. I want to know what it is. I want to knowwhothey were. Then maybe I’ll be ready to sleep, Powell. When Iknow.”

Powell nodded. She understood.

She was never going to forget what had happened. Not…ever.

And it had been so much worse for Heather. “I’m sorry I left you behind.”

“Don’t you ever say that again. You didn’t leave me behind. I don’t want you to ever think you did. You went when I told you to, exactly as I told you to go. And it worked. There is a difference,” Heather said firmly, quietly. “We used our heads and did what we had to do. You didn’t just run off and abandon me, Powell. It wasn’t like that. Not at all. We both know we couldn’t have gotten away together.”

Powell tried to protest. But Heather gave her that look. That lookmomseverywhere had to have patented.

Heather really was scary when she gave that look.

“They would have chased us down and caught us both again. There were just too many of them at that moment. The only reason I got away was because they moved me someplace even less secure. Your escape caused them to panic. And I couldn’t have made it under that garage door like you did. There wasn’t time for both of us. But you getting away flustered them. That is why I was able to get away. They weren’t very smart. It worked out the way it was supposed to—the way I suspected itwould. I’m really trying hard to believe life happens the way it is supposed to lately. Considering.”

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