Page 102 of The Roads We Follow

“Let me read them,” Adele demands.

“What?”

She holds out her hand. “Let me read the sample chapters so I can figure out who’s behind this. There can’t be too many options considering ninety-nine percent of the people with access to our family have signed NDAs. I’ll figure it out and put a stop to it.”

“I don’t have them,” I admit.

The furrow in her brow deepens. “What do you mean you don’t have them?”

“They were sent to me in confidence, and I promised to delete them as soon as I read them. My editor friend could lose his job if—”

“You’re worried about an editor losing his job?Raegan, wake up!” Adele grips her head. “Do you have any clue how damaging something like this could be to everything we’ve worked so hard for? No, of course you don’t. Because you aren’t the one burdened with the financial future of the company.”

“Adele,” Mama cuts in. “You need to calm down and think about your blood pressure.”

Adele rips off her blazer and tosses it on the chair. “My blood pressure is low on the priority list at the moment. If I don’t squash these rumors immediately, our deal could be off.”

Hattie leans forward uneasily. “What deal?”

Adele and Mama exchange a look. But it’s clear from Adele’s tight-lipped expression that’s all we’re getting from her.

Mama turns to us. “Sit down, girls.”

“No. Do not sit down.” Adele stubbornly remains standing while Cheyenne and I take a seat on the opposite sofa. “Mother, youcannottalk about this. We are still in negotiations. You signed paperwork.”

Mama ignores the warning. “Two years ago, I asked your sister to pursue partnering with an investment firm for the label.” At our shocked faces, she raises a palm. “It was my decision, and I would make the same decision again if given the chance. The load is toomuch for Adele to carry on her own. She found a private investor about eighteen months ago, but sadly we lost them due to ... family matters.”

“Due toPeter,” Adele corrects sharply, and she seems to miss the way Hattie winces. “Don’t protect him. His actions were reprehensible, and he put the company and our family in a precarious position for far too long. No business or company would touch us with our tanking ratings and our top-selling artists pulling out left and right, thanks to Francesca. The label was on the verge of bankruptcy, and losing that deal almost forfeited everything Daddy worked so hard for. If not for the resurrection of ‘Crossing Bridges,’ we would have lost it ... and likely more. Those royalties have paid off a massive amount of debt and will float us for now, but not forever. Which is why we’re still in negotiation with a new partner.” She turns back to me. “So, no, we don’t need a diversion, Raegan. What we need is to destroy whoever is stupid enough to think they can go up against us and win. This could likely be our last chance at securing a partner willing to agree to our terms and keep the label in our family name.”

It takes everything in me to force the words past my shame. “I know who’s behind it.”

“You do?” Hattie asks, her voice as thin as my own.

I don’t want to face my family. I don’t even want to face myself.

Adele zeroes in on me. “You’veknownwho it is,and you said nothing?”

Tears climb my throat. “I was only trying to protect ... people.”Hattieis who I don’t say.

“Who is it?” Adele demands in a voice that sounds dangerously close to breaking.

I swallow back my tears, knowing that once it’s out, everything will change.

I look at Hattie, and despite the stuffy air inside this bus, she’s wrapped her arms around herself in anticipation. She’s always been so much smarter than she’s given credit for. Of course she’s figured it out by now.

“I’m so sorry, Hattie.” I say keeping my gaze locked on my middle sister. “But I believe it’s ... Peter.”

The silence that follows is so isolating that when I finally dare a glance at Adele, it’s the first time I see more fear in her eyes than anger. Whatever relief I hoped would come once the truth was finally out and all my secrets were revealed was a myth. This feeling is ten times worse.

“Why do you think it’s him?” Mama’s question warbles.

“Because he’s the only one who makes sense with what I read. I didn’t want it to be him, but who knows your stories of the early years well enough to write them? It started at your camp days with Lynn, and by the third chapter, it was the story of your real wedding date with Daddy and how we celebrated every year with hot chicken and a family pool party that ended with Daddy reciting his wedding vows to you. It was both specific and personal. Peter had access, and he has motive.”

Hattie bursts up from the sofa and runs down the steps and out the bus before any of us can stop her. I stand to go after her, but Adele holds up her palm and tells Cheyenne to go after her instead.

The minute my niece is out the door, Adele looks at me as if she doesn’t even know who I am.

“How could you keep something like this a secret from us for weeks? Do you really have such low regard for our family—forme?”

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