We'll Never Tell (Secrets of Ravenswood) by Jannine Gallant Page B

murder—even if it was
unintentional—scared out of your minds…” His temples throbbed, and he let out a
long breath.
    “Over time, we convinced
ourselves the woman wasn’t dead, just injured. We grew up, went about our
lives…” She ran a finger along a scratch in the table top.
    “Don’t pretend that
night didn’t make a lasting impact, Sam. You’re tough, but not that tough.”
    Her smile shook. “I
guess I’m not.”
    “And now that sorry sack
of shit is threatening you again?”
    “The message he left
after Darby’s accident is still on the recorder.” She glanced over at
the machine. “He didn’t call after the fire. Maybe he thought we were smart
enough to figure it out for ourselves.”
    “Bastard.”
    “Juliette and I were
going to tell the sheriff today. We all agreed, but now…” She bit her lip.
    “You’re afraid the next
time won’t be scrapes and bruises or a singed floor.”
    She looked directly at
him, her beautiful green eyes shadowed with worry. “What do you think we should
do?”
    “Move in with me.” The
words slipped out before he could stop them, but he didn’t regret the outburst.
The thought of something happening to Sam made his heart ache.
    Her lips curved. “You’re
sweet, but playing bodyguard won’t solve the problem.”
    “If it keeps this
asshole from taking a shot at you, it’s a damn good start.”
    “What about Juliette and
Darby? I won’t leave my friends to fend for themselves. Maybe we should do what
he wants and stay quiet. Let the police figure it out without our help.”
    “Honestly, can you live
with that?”
    “I can try.”
    The seconds ticked by.
In the corner, the refrigerator kicked on with a loud hum. Ethan leaned back in
his chair, letting her story sink in. “If you tell the sheriff everything you
know, this cretin won’t have any more reason to try to keep you quiet.”
    “Except revenge.” A
shudder ran through her.
    “He killed that woman by
accident in a fit of anger, but he let you and your friends go. He doesn’t seem
like a cold-blooded murderer.”
    “My point exactly. If we
tell the sheriff what we saw, it may enrage him into a rash act.”
    “They’ll reconstruct the
woman’s face and match it to the missing persons database. With DNA and dental
records, it won’t be long before the authorities have a positive ID for her.”
    Frown lines etched
across her brow. “He was her boyfriend. They must have told people they were
going camping that weekend.”
    “I’m sure the police
will track him down for questioning as a person of interest.” His fingers
itched to tuck the dangling strand of hair behind her ear, to smooth away the
worry creases bracketing her pink mouth. But he couldn’t make this threat
disappear.
    “But—and it’s a big
but—Juliette, Darby, and I are the only ones who can tie him irrevocably to the
murder. Our testimony would send him to prison.”
    Her words, spoken in a
matter of fact tone, chilled his blood. The killer would only remain anonymous
until the victim’s identity was revealed. Afterwards… “Shit.”
    “If we go to the
authorities, his only option will be to make certain we aren’t around to
testify against him.”
    “Jesus, Sam.” The fear
in her eyes fed his own. “This is Ravenswood, not exactly a haven for Mafia hit
men.”
    She folded her arms over
her chest. “Maybe not, but the principle still applies.” When she raised the
mug of hot chocolate to her lips a moment later, it rattled against her teeth.
    Standing, he took her
hand and led her out of the kitchen and into the living room. Pushing her down
on a big, tan couch, he settled beside her. When she leaned against his
shoulder, he slid an arm behind her back and pulled her close. She was not a
small woman, but she felt fragile in his embrace. Breakable.
    “I’ve been thinking.”
    She glanced up at him,
and her lips curved. “Yeah? My brain took a leave of absence at eliminate
the witness .”
    “Funny,