Free Tell No Lies by Tanya Anne Crosby Page A

break-in we had a few months ago. It’s awfully convenient that Mom apparently wrote this thing and then died the very next day.”
    It was true. Augusta had nearly forgotten about the break-in with all the other drama that had happened since. The night after the first Secessionville murder, someone had broken into their mother’s office, shattering one of the expensive lead-glass panes in the double doors that led to the back veranda. No prints had been discovered, and nothing had been left out of place. Caroline had been alone that night, with Jack, in the kitchen. Augusta had been in New York, where she’d gone to pick up a few necessities for an extended stay in Charleston. Savannah had been with Sadie. But clearly that meant Sadie couldn’t have been the thief... unless it had been done much earlier in the day and made to look like a break-in . . . but why would she bother when she had free access to the house all the time? It didn’t make sense.
    “Don’t forget the break-in at Daniel’s office the day of the reading,” Augusta interjected, remembering suddenly.
    Caroline stood, apparently having heard enough. “Christ—no wonder Sadie’s pissed! Especially if you brought all this shit up to Daniel!”
    Savannah sat back on the couch, looking defeated. “What would you have had me do? Ignore it?”
    Caroline shot Savannah a glare. “You could have brought it to us, Savannah. Pissing off Sadie is the last thing any of us needs right now! We can’t manage without her.” Shaking her head, she walked out of the room, snagging her purse on the way out. Tango skulked after her without looking back. The sound of her footsteps receded down the hall.
    “She’s had a hard day,” Augusta offered, when Caroline was out of earshot. “It’s not your fault, Sav. And it’s not your fault Sadie and Daniel are bumping uglies either.”
    Savannah laughed at the image that presented and tilted her a curious glance. “You know that for sure?”
    “Well, I haven’t stalked their bedrooms, but don’t you think it’s obvious?” The two of them had been spending an inordinate amount of time together.
    Savannah shrugged.
    “Anyway, Daniel should have kept his mouth shut.”
    “All I was doing was asking questions,” Savannah explained. “Isn’t that what attorneys are for? I just wanted to be sure it was something before I got everyone all riled up over it. Turns out it was nothing and everyone’s all riled up anyway. I just wish he hadn’t told Sadie. But I do have to wonder why Mom was suddenly planning to give Sadie’s house to the city. It’s a huge departure from the original will and the break-ins are at least weirdly coincidental—don’t you think?”
    Augusta shook her head. “There’s no telling what Mother was thinking, though I do know Sadie would have accepted Mom’s decree without any question. She’s loyal.”
    “And give up the house?”
    “Not happily, but yes.”
    “Well, she’s pissed about it now,” Savannah observed.
    “Yeah, well, I might be, too, if you didn’t come straight to me, and besides, didn’t you imply there might be something shady about the whole thing?”
    “Indirectly.”
    “No judgment here, Sav. Out of all of us, you’ve got the biggest heart, and you did what you thought was right. But Sadie is family. If you questioned my loyalty, I’d be pissed, too.”
    Savannah’s eyes grew moist, and she averted her gaze to the dead television screen. “God, we’re all a mess, aren’t we?”
    Augusta laughed softly. “Some of us more than others, and I’ll accept the greatest share of dysfunction.” She raised her wineglass. “At least I know you guys think so anyway.”
    Savannah laughed, though her eyes remained glassy. “So how the hell do I fix this? You’ve had more practice at this sort of thing.”
    Sadly, it was true. “Don’t worry. I’ll go by Sadie’s in the morning and talk to her.”
    Savannah tilted her a look of surprise.