She glanced up at him. "Going to be. How about you?"

"I keep waking up at night wondering why him and not me? We were brothers. Twins. It could have just as easily been me."

The police shrinks believed that Matt had suffered from delusional disorder, a psychotic disorder related to paranoid schizophrenia with a major difference: the afflicted person was able to function normally except when acting on their delusions.

Complete and accurate diagnosis was difficult, the psychiatrist had explained, because they could now only be privy to the aftermath of Matt's delusions. The shrink had speculated that the incident with Sallie Waguespack had planted the seed that later provided a dramatic outlet for his illness. Ideology that had fed into his delusions had also been reinforced by his family, the community and his chosen profession.

Avery found Hunter's hand, curled her fingers around his. "No," she murmured, "it couldn't have been you."

He met her eyes, his filled with gratitude. "All those years, feeling abandoned by my family. Shut out. Nobody said anything, but I felt it. After that night, everything was changed. Now I know why."

She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, hurting for him. "I'm so sorry, Hunter."

"Me, too. About everything but you." He met her eyes. "I'm going to help Cherry and Mom through this," he said, tone fierce. "I'm going to be there for them."

The district attorney had decided to waive charges against either of them. Because of Cherry's age at the time of the murder, because of the time that had passed, lack of evidence and the fact the real murderer was dead.

Even so, Cherry had acknowledged that she and Lilah couldn't stay in Cypress Springs. They'd already put the house up for sale, already seen a Realtor in Baton Rouge. Cherry had decided to open that

catering business she and her mother had been talking about for so long.

The were going to emerge intact, Avery thought. Finally free of the secrets that had been slowly killing them.

"I know how my novel ends," Hunter murmured suddenly.

"You do?"

"Not the specifics. Just that my hero's going to be okay. And that's good enough."

She understood. She felt the same. She didn't know for certain what the future held, she only knew she

was ready to face it. Starting now.

Standing on tiptoe, she kissed him. "What do you say we get the hell out of here?"

end.