Page 108 of The Secrets She Keeps

“There were a total of forty-two samples found on the shirt that weren’t Colesons or Barratts,” Haldyn said quietly. “They came back to eight individuals.”

“Okay, so…Timothy, his son, Samia, and probably Summer’s DNA were found on that sweatshirt since Summer owned the shirt. But there is a fourth that matches Timothy as well? That would probably be Eddie, right?” Heather asked. “And that is definitely Samia’s DNA?”

“A female sample, yes. That matched the same father as Samia. Saliva and a few touch samples,” Haldyn said, looking at the printout in her hand. “And this is an awkward question, but are Eden and Samia possibly half sisters?”

“No. Definitely not. They are both Timothy’s daughters,” Bonnie said firmly. “As is Summer. Angela didn’tcheat.”

“I should have added paternal. This sample is definitely Samia’s paternal half sister. There should also be a trace report, with it, it looks like,” Haldyn said. She looked down at the paperwork again. “It is conclusive. Half sisters. Through their father.”

“So…a family affair. And we have at least one more sister out there,” Summer said quietly.

Heather checked her niece’s face. Summer had had nightmares as a kid. After Timothy had just left them that day. She’d loved her father—and then he had just been gone. Heather had always felt guilty for that.

“And that sister hurt Heather?” Eden asked.

“There wasn’t a woman there.” Heather was sure of that. “Who are the other samples from?”

“That’s where things also get complicated. There are Samia’s father, his son, his other daughter, and five others. Two of those samples match the bodies found this morning.” Daniel looked right at Heather. “In the rubble of the fire.”

Heather knew what bodies he meant. She would never forget those men’s faces. Forget what they had done to her. Or what she had done to survive. “The two men I killed while I was escaping.”

She heard the indrawn breaths of the people around her. Her family, each one of them so infinitely precious. Heather’s eyes met Zoey’s. She saw the understanding there. She had done what she had to do—just like Zoey had done with Eastman. “I’m not going to lie about it. Or sugarcoat it. There was a nasty bastard with a scar. I killed him first. And the other…I didn’t know if he was dead or not; I wasn’t sticking around to find out. He was down when I climbed out the window, and that was all that mattered.”

“The preliminary report showed soot in his lungs. It was most likely smoke inhalation,” Gunnar said. “He was probably just unconscious when you escaped, and his friends left him behind. The fire probably was burning more than they expected at that point.”

“Then he was alive when I went out the window?”

Daniel just nodded.

“So I didn’t kill him, then.”

“No.”

“But he is still dead.” Heather’s words were completely flat. She would never forget. Ever.

“Yes. He’s dead,” Gunnar said.

“Does the TSP know who the men were?” Hope asked. She’d gotten up, came to sit right next to Heather again. Like she always did when she was upset or scared. It was a subconscious thing for Hope. Heather knew that.

Heather slipped her arm around Hope, ignoring the pain in her ribs.

Heather had been taking care of her baby sister forever. She wasn’t going to change that now.

Daniel nodded. He looked at Bonnie—and at Zoey next to her. “One of the men was a local thug who we were looking for in conjunction with the ambush at FCU that day. His DNA was also found in Zoey’s home in Garrity. The man with a scar. His name was Spencer Mills.”

“Scarface was one of the men who took Pen and Zoey?” Heather asked, just to confirm. “He was just a paid goon, then, guys. He was making noises with the guy in charge, not Timothy, about wanting his money really soon. Or else he was going to tell his boss or something. The guy just taunted him in response.”

“Pen heard the men who took her that day talking about getting money for it,” Zoey said. Heather saw the anger and hurt in her niece’s face. The memories. “She said one had a scar. She saw it.”

“It ran along his jawline,” Heather said. “From here to here.” She brushed a hand against her left cheek. She would never forget.

McKellen held out his phone. With an ID photo on it. Heather looked. It was him. The scar was distinctive.

Bonnie just gasped and closed her eyes after she looked at the screen and nodded. “He was definitely…there. With…with Dr.Eastman.” Bonnie held a hand up to keep McKellen’s phone out of Crispin’s reach next.

“No. Crispin doesn’t need to look at that bastard ever again. Bonnie and I are enough,” Zoey said and shifted in front of Crispin instead. Protectively. Then she looked away. At her husband. “I’ll never forget him. He was there that day. I’ll never forget him staring at me in that damned basement. The way he…looked at me.”

“He’s dead now, Zoey,” Heather told her. She didn’t want Zoey to be afraid any longer. She just didn’t. “Make sure Penelope knows too. He can’t hurt you girls ever again. Any of you. Not now.”

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