Miguel shakes his head. “Caren, why did you go to Jo’s? I need to know.”
I choke out a laugh. “Youneed to know? That’s rich.”
“What made you go to her?” His tone is so out of character, so insistent, that I relent.
“Fine. I’ll go first. Then you. I went over to Jo’s because no one was telling me the truth about that bracelet. I knew in my gut that Rachel was involved somehow, but I didn’t know how. Yumi told me she saw Van breaking into houses—”
“She told you that?”
“Yeah. She said she also saw a girl with him who she thought was Rachel. But then it turned out Rachel was out of town that weekend. I wanted the truth. And then Yumi told us that someone was making regular visits to the house that Tori Price lived in—”
“Whoa, whoa.” He holds his hands up. “Us? Who’s us? And who’s Tori Price?”
“She’s that single mom who lived in the house behind the Allards. The big modern one, where that nanny was killed last year. That was Finn’s closest friend.”
“Caren, sweetie, mi amor.” He comes around the island, arms outstretched. “Baby, you are in over your head.”
I scramble to my feet and step back. “Don’t do that. Don’t patronize me.”
“I’m not patronizing you. I’m worried about you.”
“I think Jo spiked my drink. That’s what I think. That she saw that bracelet on the Facebook page—”
His eyes widen and he brings his hands together as if in prayer. “Please, dear Lord, please tell me you did not accuse Jo Allard of drugging you.”
“And I think maybe Van killed that girl.”
Miguel pulls out a stool and sits down on it, cradling his face in his hands. “I’m speechless. I don’t even know where to begin.” He looks up at me, pleadingly. “Is this Finn guy putting all these ideas into your head?”
“No. Of course not.”
“I mean, this is some crazy conspiracy-level shit, Caren. I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to hang out with him.”
I laugh bitterly. “I’m almost fifty. You can’t tell me who I’m allowed to hang out with.”
“It’s not about allowed. It’s about what’s healthy. I think you should talk to someone.”
“I did talk to someone, Miguel. I talked to Jo. Now it’s your turn. What did she mean that you would explain everything?”
His head jerks up, but he’s looking past me. I turn to see Rachel in the doorway, her long wet hair hanging over her shoulders. “What are you guys fighting about?”
“Nothing, sweetie,” Miguel says. “We’re just talking.”
“Mom?” She looks to me. “I heard you say ‘Van’ when I was coming down the stairs.”
“What else did you hear?” I hold my breath, hoping that she didn’t hear me say I thought Van might have killed that nanny. It was reckless to talk that way with her so close by.
“Nothing. Why?”
I hold out my hand, and she takes a tentative step forward, grasping it. “Honey, I need to know about that bracelet. The gold one with the heart. Where did you get it?”
Her lower lip trembles as she takes a seat at the counter between Miguel and me.
“Van gave it to me,” she says softly.
“Why would Van give you a bracelet?”
Her fingers trace an invisible pattern on the countertop, her eyes fixed downward.