Helping her contact a lawyer.
Saving screenshots she feared Brandon would delete.
Sitting beside her while she cried over the man she once expected to marry.
Daniel stared at me.
“You changed your password.”
“Because Melissa sent me pictures of her bruises.”
His face tightened.
“And screenshots.”
I continued.
“She was scared Brandon might somehow get into my phone if he got access to our family accounts.”
“You could have told me something.”
“I wanted to.”
“You could have said somebody needed help.”
“She made me promise.”
“I’m your husband.”
“And she was scared.”
“I’m her brother.”
“Exactly.”
The word landed harder than I intended.
Daniel looked as if I had slapped him.
I hated it.
But I needed him to understand.
“Melissa loves you.”
I lowered my voice.
“But she was afraid of what you would do because you love her.”
Daniel leaned against the island.
For the first time that night, he looked less angry than helpless.
Then he picked up the empty medication package.
Turned it over.
Set it down.
“I thought you were sleeping with somebody.”
“I know.”
“I was completely sure for about ten minutes.”
“I know.”
He stared at me.
“That doesn’t disappear because I was wrong.”
I understood.
Suspicion had already entered the room.
The truth could explain it.
It could not rewind it.
I sat across from him.
“I’m sorry.”
“For helping Melissa?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“For letting you believe the worst when maybe I could have given you more without breaking her trust.”
Daniel did not answer.
Then he asked the question that hurt most.
“Why did she think I wouldn’t believe her?”
I looked down.
There was no safe answer.
“Because Brandon is your best friend.”
Daniel went pale.
“She thought I would choose him?”
“At first.”
He stared at me.
“I would never choose him over her.”
“I know.”
“She’s my sister.”
“I know.”
“Then why didn’t she?”
I did not answer.
Because that was exactly what Melissa had not known.
And sometimes trust broke before anybody technically betrayed anyone.
Daniel picked up his phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling her.”
I almost reached for his wrist.
Stopped.
“Ask before you go.”
His eyes flashed.
“I told you I’m not going after Brandon.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
“Then what?”
“Ask whether Melissa wants to see you.”
Daniel stared.
His thumb hovered over the screen.
Then he slowly lowered the phone.
For once, he allowed his sister to control what happened next.
He typed:
I know you’re safe. Claire told me enough. I love you. I will not contact Brandon. I won’t come to you unless you ask.
We waited.
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Returned.
Finally:
Can you come tomorrow morning?
Daniel closed his eyes.
He typed one word.
Yes.
And for the first time that night, neither of us had anything else to say.
CHAPTER 2: THE SISTER HE THOUGHT HE KNEW
Rebecca’s backyard apartment sat behind a small ranch house on a street lined with maple trees.
Daniel barely spoke during the drive.
I did not push him.
He stared out the passenger window, one hand resting against his knee, opening and closing slowly.
At one red light he said:
“I introduced them.”
I knew what he meant.
“You didn’t know.”
“I brought Brandon to that cookout.”