Page 64 of Silencing Stolen Whispers
Kinsley continued to monitor Nick’s body language for any sign of recognition or deception. She intentionally left the source unnamed, though Nick's gaze shifted over her shoulder toward the stone bench.
“I don't know what stories Jade has been spinning,” Nick said, his voice dropping an octave into a tone that was low andbitter, “but Hannah would never have cheated on me or anyone else she was with because of her past.”
Nick shifted his weight in annoyance, which caused Sienna to drop her arm.
“Never.”
“Her past?” Kinsley pressed. “Could you clarify what you mean by that?”
Nick's expression faltered, and Kinsley sensed his inner struggle about sharing personal details regarding his former lover. Sienna remained silent beside him, her stillness almost predatory in its intensity. It was obvious to Kinsley that their relationship wouldn’t last much longer.
“Look,” Nick finally said, his voice strained with reluctance, “this isn't something Hannah talked about with many people. And it definitely doesn’t have anything to do with her death.”
“I’d like to be the judge of that,” Kinsley replied, softening her tone so as not to give Nick reason to shut down this discussion. She swiped a mosquito from her cheek, hating its buzzing sound that unfortunately amplified twofold at her efforts. “Please, Mr. Ryder. Everything matters in this type of investigation.”
“Early in Mr. and Mrs. Scriven’s marriage, when the twins were just kids, William had an affair with a junior lawyer at his firm. It nearly destroyed their family.” Nick slipped his hands into his pockets, the metallic jingle of his keys cutting through the infuriating buzzing noise. “Hannah had very strong views about infidelity, Detective Aspen. She loathed it, and she would never have engaged in an affair.”
And just like that, the underpinnings of the Scriven family dynamic snapped into more precise focus. Katherine’s control. William’s compliance. Hannah’s drive. Bailey’s rebellion.
A house built on fracture lines.
Kinsley considered the implications of Nick’s response, turning it over against Jade's claims. Either someone was lying, or there was something more complicated at play.
“I'd like to know who Hannah was supposedly having an affair with,” Sienna interjected with genuine curiosity. “Since we're all being so forthcoming.”
Kinsley had already decided that Sienna would be an excellent attorney. The subtle strategy to determine whether the accusation had substance or was just a fishing expedition was truly remarkable.
“Thank you both for your time,” Kinsley said, offering a polite smile while deliberately sidestepping the question. “I appreciate your cooperation.”
Kinsley didn’t give them a chance to follow up. She had already spoken to Mr. and Mrs. Scriven about the supposed affair. They claimed to have no knowledge of it, and Katherine had even launched into a lengthy lecture about the inappropriate timing of the Fallbrook Police Department.
One thing stood out to Kinsley.
If Hannah were having an affair, whom would she have confided in? Her best friend had already shown her disappointment, although she had taken advantage of the situation. Hannah never breathed a word of the relationship to Nick, and she certainly hadn’t told her parents about her indiscretion.
That left Bailey, only she was nowhere to be found.
In fact, most of the crowd had left for the evening. A few faculty members were still in attendance, and Patty Bigsby was helping Mr. and Mrs. Scriven carry Hannah’s portrait and what appeared to be a stack of sympathy cards toward the east parking lot.
“Has Bailey Scriven exited the courtyard?” Kinsley radioed her question to the officers posted at the main entrances. Shecarefully scanned the area again, noting the empty benches and deep shadows. Bailey had last been seen near a large oak tree, but she was now gone. “Anyone have eyes on her?”
“Negative,” came the responses one by one. “No one matching her description has passed through here.”
Bailey might have slipped away with some of the earlier departing groups. She had kept her distance from her parents, and she hadn’t sought out Jade or any other student. Bailey had mostly stayed to herself, interacting only with a few faculty members. Maybe she planned to make a quick appearance and leave quietly, but given her personality and the reaction to her mother’s speech, Kinsley doubted that was the case.
“Her VW is still parked in the east lot.”
Kinsley expressed her appreciation before once again skimming the faces of those who had remained behind.A ripple of unease spread down her spine.
Bailey had claimed to be Hannah's confidante, her best friend, despite their differences. Surely Bailey would have known if Hannah had been having an affair. Had Bailey collected something incriminating from Hannah's possessions to protect her sister’s reputation?
Or had Bailey been protecting herself?
Jade had seemed so certain about what she had witnessed—Hannah and Reeves together in a lecture hall. But what if Jade had been mistaken?
The twins were identical.
In a dimly lit classroom, from a distance, through a small window in a door...
