Whispers of Deception

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

2:45 p.m.

November 13th, 2022

The Montgomery Family Home

“ L ilia?” Amelia tilted her head, opening the door slightly to look at her. “What are you doing here?”

She wasn’t entirely sure; the entire move was brash and unexpected. “I wanted to talk to you about the letter?” It came out as a question. “If you’re free that is.”

Amelia seemed to contemplate for a moment, glancing over her shoulder; Lilia assumed one of her parents was home. She nodded, before closing the door softly behind her. “It’s going to have to be quick.”

“Of course,” Lilia agreed, gesturing toward the long road. She had taken so many walks here in her earlier adolescence—up and down the cul-de-sac, riding her bike on some days.

The cool air nipped at their skin, her exposed arms turning red from the onslaught of cold. “You said that she thought it was me,” she began. “But I never sent her a letter. Willow frustrated me beyond the brink of insanity sometimes but I would have never done that to her.”

“I know.” Amelia chewed softly on her bottom lip. “And deep down, I think Willow knew that too.”

“So then who? Who would’ve threatened her?”

“We both know that Willow sometimes wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. It really could have been anyone.”

“Are you sure you can’t think of anyone who she might have been having issues with around that time? I mean, besides everyone?”

Amelia frowned, her eyes scanning the high trees around them. “Um—oh! Blaire Ward.”

“Blaire Ward?”

Blaire Ward—a local girl who had not the kindest words to say about Lilia’s former friend, seeing as though Willow had made her life a living hell throughout high school and continued to strike her vengeance into college. The pair had their fair share of academic tiffs, fighting for valedictorian for the better half of their high school years. The feud continued into college. A year ago, they’d been competing for a singular internship spot. It was something so trivial, so stupid. Willow had connections, she could’ve gone anywhere. But Willow needed to be the best in everything that she did. So she spread rumors about her, coughed off some fabled lie about her drug habits. In a town like Mills Creek, that was enough to ruin you in all aspects of life. She lost the internship. Her reputation was tarnished.

Lilia caught her arm, a slight fire in her eyes. “Do you know where she lives?”

“What exactly are we doing here?” Augustus wondered as the pair approached the quaint apartment complex.

“Amelia thinks that Blaire was the one to send Willow the letter. So, I figured what better way to find out than to ask her?”

“And you think that she’s going to talk to you?”

“Look, we have nothing, Gus. Zip, nada. Absolutely nothing besides a name that we cannot place, an address to a cabin, and a couple of journal entries. That isn’t enough to turn the light away from us or to even find out who could’ve killed Willow.”

“What if it isn’t her? Then what?”

Lilia knocked on the door. “Then we’re back to square one.”

The door opened slowly, big brown eyes stared back up at Lilia. The little girl had dark brown hair that reached her waist and freckles peppered the skin around her eyes. She looked so familiar. Exactly like?—

“Marina, I told you to stop opening the door.”

Blaire.

“What are you doing here?” Her hands were covered in flour, and an apron was secured around her waist. Irritation and slight suspicion lined her eyes.

“We were wondering if you could answer a few questions?” Lilia asked. “We can come back.”

The little girl couldn’t have been more than four years old. When did she have a child?

“Marina, go to your room.” Blaire lowered her eyes to the child, a soft smile on her face. “I’ll be right there.”

The child was looking at Lilia and Gus with curious eyes. “Can I watch PAW 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.”