Chapter 143: Accepting Truth

"It's true, then," she said, leaving me stunned and a bit flatfooted to be honest, with no idea what she was talking about. "She was murdered."

Ah, Sadie. Okay. Why did that make Emelia mad again? I opened my mouth to reply when she stood and began pacing, anger better than sorrow, at least. "Amos was right. She was a fraud. Why else would someone kill her? Making me an utter fool for believing a thing she said."

Oh dear. "I'm afraid so." Winced at the cross-meaning. "I didn't mean you were a fool." She waved that off as I rushed on. "But I do believe she was killed because she was a fake." I watched the tall woman's face crumple while she sank onto the stool again.

"She was so convincing." She shook her head, hands heavy in her lap, but at least the anger

-and the debilitating grief-seemed to have lifted from her, if only temporarily. "I've ruined myself, my credibility, ended friendships and alienated my husband. For what?"