“The way you can help is by staying out of sight. Lay low and let me handle this.”
“But I need to go talk to Noelle.”
I’m shaking my head before she can even finish. “No. You’re not going anywhere near her. She’s compromised.”
“She has information. More than she told us on the phone. I know it. Benjamin is—”
“Piper,” I warn her, “leave this. It’s done. The only thing we can do now is not make the same mistakes again.”
“But I think Benjamin is—”
“Piper!” The knife twists painfully. “Enough. I’m trying to move forward. I’m trying to—”
“Benjamin is still alive!” she shouts.
I stare at her, waiting for the punchline of that terrible joke. But one doesn’t come.
“It’s true,” she says. “Or… I think it’s true.”
I drag a hand down my face. “Don’t f*****g do this, Piper. As if this isn’t h
