The Edge of the Shadows by Elizabeth George Page B

beginning to feel much the same. For his part Ralph Darrow seemed to be taking the temperature of things and finding it not quite what it should be. None of that seemed to matter at the moment, though. Becca was feeling pretty black about the Nelson conversation.
    Perhaps Parker saw this. He was saying his goodbyes and talking about getting his stuff and bringing it to the tree house and setting the time for his return when he looked at her and added, “I check in with my parents pretty often. Next time I talk to them I’ll ask about your cousin. Laurel Armstrong, right?”
    Becca didn’t look at anyone except Parker as she said, “That’s the name,” as quietly as possible.
    But it wasn’t good enough. Derric looked her way. So did Ralph Darrow. One of them thought
cousin
and the other
what the hell
and it pretty much didn’t matter which was which.

TWELVE
    W hile she’d been at the tree house, Derric and Ralph had made tons of progress, especially since Derric appeared to be working off a head of steam. He was stacking split logs like a reincarnated Abraham Lincoln.
    His mind was running.
When’s she going to start telling me . . . not now not now
declared that he was arguing with himself. But the strength of his wanting a full story from her told Becca that they were both just postponing an inevitable Q&A. Ralph Darrow seemed to reach this same conclusion because he said, “I’ve had enough for today. So’ve you two. Let’s finish this later. Next week, next month, next year. Derric, a soda?”
    Derric said, “No, thanks. I’m good, Mr. Darrow.”
    Ralph said, “Well, I’m having me a rest,” and he strode back to the house. Generally in fine weather he took his rests on the porch. Today, however, he went inside.
    Derric waited only a beat before asking, “So d’you want to tell me what’s going on?” His whispers continued. He knew it was irrational to be feeling what he was feeling, which was insecurity, but that was what he was feeling and
like, why does she have to tell him and probably Seth . . . it’s all uneven and out of control. . . .
    Becca grabbed the ear bud to put in her ear. He and she needed a level playing field, at least. She said, “Nothing’s going on.”
    â€œSo what was the deal with the tree house? Seth could have shown him. No way did you need to.”
    â€œI wanted to tell him about the stove. I showed him how it works but—”
    â€œLike Seth couldn’t do that?”
    â€œ
But
I forgot that there’s a tricky thing with the door. And you got to be careful how you bank it or it goes out by the morning. That’s what I wanted to show him.”
    He stared at her. “You must think I’m an idiot.” He’d earlier removed a long-sleeved T-shirt he’d been wearing, and he went for this now and jerked it over his head.
    â€œWhat’s
wrong
?” she said.
    â€œWhat’s with this cousin of yours that you never once ever mentioned to me?”
    â€œWhy would I mention her?”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t you? Is she some kind of secret?”
    â€œDerric, this is stupid. It’s not like
you
do any mentioning of relatives.”
    His face altered. He read a threat in her words. She hadn’t intended it that way, but the truth was that she knew his deepest secret while all the time she hid hers from him. He said, “Nice, Becca.”
    He began to walk off. He started for the hill and its upward path that would take him to where he’d left the Forester. She went after him.
    â€œLook,” she said. “You’ve got a bigger worry right now than whether I have some deep, dark secret cousin, okay?”
    He stopped. “That’s supposed to mean what?”
    â€œRejoice.”
    He looked around. It was a frantic look that told her once again he thought she was threatening him.
    She put