Page 76 of Where Secrets Lie

She prayed as she planted new flowers in the pots swinging in the breeze near her mother’s and Ella’s graves. All she could do was take each day hour by hour and cling to her faith as she walked through this storm of grief. She would have to bringSimon up soon. She could talk about losing her own mother and their shared grief over Jess. Maybe he would open up. His withdrawal worried her, so she prayed for him too.

She wiped her hands on the soft grass around Ella’s grave and spotted a small figure walking up the hillside path toward Jess’s grave. Helen Willard. The tiny woman carried bundles of fresh flowers almost as big as she was. Without thinking, Savannah dove for cover and huddled behind a sprawling rhododendron. She peered through the glossy leaves and watched Helen stop first at the grave marked Marie Legare. Helen arranged fresh flowers in the vase attached to the headstone before moving to the fresh mound where Jess lay buried.

Was that a sob from the older woman? Savannah strained to hear and put her hand to her mouth when the choked sound of grief came from Helen again. Had she loved Jess, truly loved her? If only Savannah had known all this. Her chest squeezed with regret and grief.

Helen drew back from Jess’s grave and moved to Ella’s grave, where she stood for a long moment, staring at the fresh flowers Savannah had planted. She was close enough that Savannah could hear her ragged breathing. Why was she standing there motionless so long? Savannah wished she could see her expression better, but the foliage was too thick.

Helen spit out a string of profanity, and Savannah bit back a gasp. The tiny old lady screamed curses to the sky with her fist raised. Savannah gulped and waited for whatever emotion had caused the outburst to ebb. The older woman dropped her hand back to her side and continued to stare down at Ella’s headstone.

A cramp seized Savannah’s left calf, and she flexed her foot to try to ease it, but it worsened.Please leave.She gritted her teeth and kept flexing her arch without relief. When she was about to admit defeat and reveal her hidden spot, Helen finally moved from Ella’s grave and picked her way carefully down the slope toward the campus.

Once she was out of sight, Savannah emerged from behind the foliage and put all her weight on her foot until the pain eased, then went back to Jess’s grave. Helen had been truly grief-stricken when she was standing here.

Jess had been part of the Willard family more than Savannah knew, and it hurt to realize she’d been so unaware of this side of her sister’s life. When they were young, Jess would vanish for an afternoon or even a whole weekend and then reappear with a fresh tan or a new barrette in her hair. Everyone knew where she’d been, but no one talked about it because that might trigger another ugly scene between Mom and Dad.

Savannah should have probed, especially once they were on their own, but she hadn’t. Had it been habit? Fear of the pain she knew would come from unraveling their tangled family past? Both? It was too late now. More of the damage caused by her avoidant personality. She fell beside Jess’s grave and buried her face in her hands as regret washed over her in a flood.

“Savannah?”

She jerked erect at the sound of Hez’s voice and turned to see him coming toward her in a run. The love and concern on his face brought her stumbling to her feet, and she rushed to meet him.

He folded her in his arms. “I’m so sorry, babe,” he whispered against her hair.

She shook her head. “It’s not just her death. I failed her, Hez. I only realized how much after seeing Helen here a few minutes ago.”

He stiffened. “Helen Willard was here? She came to Jess’s grave?”

“And to Mom’s. She put flowers on both graves before stopping at Ella’s. While standing next to Ella’s headstone, she raised her fist in the air and screamed out curses.” Savannah stepped back and rubbed the gooseflesh on her arms at the memory.

“Shecursed? Sweet little Miz Willard? I mean, she’s been angry with the Legares, but I’ve never heard her swear.”

“You didn’t grow up around here. She was the iron lady of the Willard family, and they’re a rough bunch. Still, it was peculiar. Ella had nothing to do with the Willards and had never even met them, so why would Helen do that at her grave? Why would she even visit it? It’s not next to Mom and Jess.”

“Did she have to search for it?”

“No, she walked to it like she’d been there before.”

“Odd.” Hez frowned and stared toward the spot where their daughter’s body rested. “I don’t like it.”

“I don’t either.” She shook off her unease. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until later.”

He smiled. “I had news that couldn’t wait, but it will cost you.” He pulled her back into his arms. “A few kisses might be enough payment. But maybe not, because this is really big news.”

She chuckled. “I think I can manage that payment, but I think you’d better tell me first so I can judge how many kisses it deserves.”

“Oh, it’s worth a lot.” He kissed her thoroughly until she was breathless. “You ready for a huge change to our lives?” he whispered against her lips.

She released him reluctantly. “More than ready.”

“We got the house.”

Her pulse had started to slow but jumped again at his words. “You’re sure?”

“The signed offer acceptance is in our inboxes. All we have to do is send over the earnest money.” He lifted her in his arms and swung her around. “We’ve got a new house, babe, and a new start with Simon.”

She let out a squeal. “Hez! It’s the best news ever.” When he put her down, she hugged him. “Thank you for going along with my very impractical longing for that house.”

Her hand in his, they headed back down the hillside, and she glanced back one last time at the graveyard. Maybe she’d never know why Helen had screamed out curses by Ella’s grave.

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