Page 35 of Whispers of Deception

The child was looking at Lilia and Gus with curious eyes. “Can I watchPAW Patrol?” she asked Blaire.

“Sure, but not for long. Now go.”

Turning to face them, her once warm expression was replaced by hollowed eyes and annoyance.

“What are you doing here?” Blaire asked them.

“We had some questions about Willow Montgomery,” Lilia started. “It won’t take long.”

“I’m not talking about her. You need to leave.”

Lilia caught the closing door with her foot. “Look, I know that you and Willow didn’t get along. I know what she did to you, and I’m sorry. But we really need your help. It will only take a few minutes—I swear. You can time it.”

Blaire pursed her lips. “You have five minutes.”

“That’s all we need,” Augustus said.

“I know what she did to you,” Lilia started. “And I know that you must have been angry with her. She hurt a lot of people when she was here. But what happened to her was tragic. I don’t know if you’ve seen the news but, everyone assumes that we had something to do with it.”

“Willow Montgomery was a bitch. Whoever murdered her did us all a favor.” Blaire spoke dryly, rummaging through her apron pocket for a cigarette.

“So you wanted her dead then?”

The flick of the lighter filled the air. “Is that why you’re here?” The words were muffled behind the stick in her mouth. She snorted before taking a drag. “You think I killed the bitch?” Now she was cackling. “Oh my gosh, I wish.”

“Did you send her a letter a few days before she died?” Augustus asked. “Something threatening.”

Blaire expelled a loud breath. “Look, I didn’t kill her. And I sure as hell didn’t send her a letter. Did you see that little girl there? I have more important things to be worrying about than some prolonged feud.”

“But the letter?—”

“I never sent it,” Blaire said, “Anything I needed to say to her, I’d say it to her face. Not over a letter.”

“But you hated Willow.” Lilia shook her head.

“I didn’t kill her. But several people would’ve wanted her dead. Ask one of them.”

“What do you mean?” Augustus intervened as she turned to leave. “Who else wanted her dead.”

Blaire sighed. “She got into it with Orion Blake a few weeks before she disappeared. I was out getting . . . an adult beverage when I saw her arguing with him. Seemed pretty heated if you ask me.”

Augustus furrowed his brow, glancing at Lilia who seemed to be just as confused as he was.

Why would Willow be arguing with Orion Blake?

“Oh. And Lilia, Augustus,” Blaire said before leaving, “don’t ever come around here again.”

PODCAST TRANSCRIPT:Whispers of Deception—Episode 4: “The Whispers in the Dark: The Case Against Lilia Chen”

Host 1 (Maggie):Welcome back toWhispers of Deception, where we dive into the latest in ongoing investigations and cold cases. I’m Maggie.

Host 2 (Noah):And I’m Noah. Today, we have a very special episode. Joining us are the hosts ofUnder the Radar, a podcast that’s been following the Willow Montgomery case as closely as we have. Welcome, Sam and Riley.

Sam:Thanks for having us. It’s been a wild ride following this case.

Riley:Definitely. There are so many twists and turns, and it’s hard to keep up, but that’s what we’re here for.

Maggie:So, let’s get right into it. We’ve all seen the latest development—the photograph of Lilia Chen and Augustus Clark, taken just a few months before Willow’s death. This has led to a lot of speculation online, and we’re here to break it down. What do you all think?

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