Spells for Forgetting(69)

“Happening to you?”

“She got it in her head that we had to leave or someone was going to hurt me. That I just wouldn’t come home one night.”

The thing that had always been true about August and Eloise was that they looked out for each other. That’s what she was doing when she took him away.

“Did you ask Dutch to lie for you?”

August hesitated, staring at his hands. “No. I didn’t know what happened to Lily or your dad until I got back to the house late that night. When Jake showed up, Dutch had already lied. I just went along with it because I didn’t know what else to do.”

I shook my head, trying to understand. “Why would Dutch lie before he even knew you needed him to?”

August kept his gaze pinned on the window. A strike of lightning made the lights dim, before they brightened again.

“August.” I pressed.

“He wasn’t lying to protect me, Emery.” He breathed. “He was protecting himself.”

“How?”

He didn’t meet my eyes. “You should ask him about it.”

“I’m asking you.”

His gaze finally met mine, and I could see him changing his mind, back and forth.

“God, what do I have to do to get you to tell me the truth?”

August reached up to rub his face with his hands. “They were seeing each other.”

“Who?”

“Dutch and Lily.”

My hands fell limply at my sides as I stared at him. That was the last thing I expected him to say. “That can’t be true.” I sank down into the rocking chair.

“They were. For months. A year, maybe. I don’t think it was anything either of them thought was a serious thing. They were just sleeping together.”

My eyes searched the floorboards in front of my feet. The thoughts were racing so fast that I couldn’t catch hold of them. It was insane. All of it.

“Lily would have told me that,” I said, feeling less and less convinced. They were the same words I’d spoken to my uncle.

August stayed quiet. He’d already said more than he wanted to.

“Why would she lie?”

“I don’t know. Why did Lily do anything she did?” He paused. “Dutch asked me not to say anything, so I didn’t. Lily was really paranoid about people finding out. She didn’t even want him telling me.”

I raked my hair back with one hand, thinking. “She was pregnant.”

“What?” August gave me a confused look.

“Jake told me she was pregnant.”

August stiffened. “And he told you it was me?” he guessed. “That me and Lily were…”

I nodded.

Something like a curse sounded under his breath.

“I didn’t believe him. But Dutch…” My voice trailed off. “Why would he keep that a secret? After all this time?”

“I don’t know. We all lied about something.”

I went still, studying his face. It was true. Even I had lied about the deed to the orchard. But if August had any suspicions about that, I couldn’t hear any sign of it in the words.

“Or, like you said, he was protecting himself,” I murmured, a chill running up my spine as I thought it.

August’s expression didn’t change. He’d clearly already considered that.

I stood from the chair and squared my shoulders to the window, watching the storm rage. Beyond the trees, my house was veiled in the thick curtain of rain. Only two nights ago, someone had walked down that road and set a fire in front of this cottage. I was more convinced than ever that they had also taken the letter.

Dutch wanted me to stay away from August, but not because he thought August killed Lily. It was because August was the only one who knew the truth. I didn’t want to believe it, but I did. He lied to Jake to cover for himself. Most of the town would jump at the chance to find evidence against August. But if people knew about Lily and him, and if August were cleared, there was only one person who could take the fall.

It was only then that I realized that when I saw Dutch at the orchard and I asked him where he was the other night, he never answered.

“I have to go,” I said, moving toward the door.

I stopped mid-stride when I saw the packed bag on the floor. I looked at August, the question trapped in my throat.

He glanced from me to the pack, stiffening. “Yeah. I’m taking the last ferry tonight. My flight leaves from the city tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

“I was going to stop and say goodbye on my way.”

“Really?” I said, doubtful. I hated how my voice sounded suddenly hollow. I hated that it hurt.

“Really. I was.”

My hand tightened on the knob, and I leaned into the door. I had no right to ask him, but I had to. “Can you take the one in the morning?”

August’s lips pressed together. Whatever he was thinking, I couldn’t sift it from the look in his eyes.

“There’s something I need to show you.”

He hesitated. “Okay.”

My grip instantly loosened on the knob, the knot in my throat unwinding. “Meet me at the pub. At six.”

I waited for him to answer with a nod before I pulled the door open and stepped out into the wind. He’d told me the truth. Now it was my turn. But there was something I had to do first.