Page 30 of Montana Silence

“The Family still exists, as far as we know the compound still exists, and the property is in Malcolm Novic’s name. But after looking at the property via satellite, it doesn’t seem to be anactivesite. Only a couple people came and went, and nothing to make me think anyone is living there.”

I nodded. It made sense. After Malcolm was arrested and convicted, no one wanted to be swept up in the same wave. Especially not knowing what Malcolm would say to the authorities. Most of them ran. If I were them, I wouldn’t go back to the same place either.

Daniel turned to face me more fully. “We reached out to whoever we could to learn anything about Malcolm in prison, and nothing came up. It might be on the side of a littletoosqueaky-clean, but there’s no proof of tampering that we can see.”

Slowly, I took a breath. “What does that mean?”

“It means one of two things,” Daniel said. “Either someone is covering up whatever he’s doing on the inside and making his record appear spotless.”

“My money’s on option number one,” Jude said. “Simply because men like Malcolm Novic, in my experience, don’t just become model citizens because they go to prison. But like we said, there’s no proof, and it could just be me being overly suspicious.”

Daniel chuckled. “But we like that about you.”

The fact that he could laugh made me feel better. He wasn’t one to make light of something if it were truly serious. “The other possibility,” he said, “is Malcolm reallywason his best behavior and kept himself squeaky-clean intentionally so he would have a chance like this one.”

I turned over the map and skimmed the few pages they’d included with confirmations that nothing was amiss with Malcolm. Everything was going perfectly well, and he was a model prisoner.

“He’ll get out?” My voice was barely a whisper, but it was all I had right now.

“There’s no guarantee,” Jude said. “There never is with hearings like this. But with a record like this, no incidents in the past…twelve years?” He winced. “There’s a good chance he will. I’m sorry, Mara.”

There was a good chance he would go free. But there was a better chance of him staying locked up if I testified.

All of a sudden, I felt dizzy.

I really had to do this.

The truth was right in front of my face. I’d agreed to testify, but I’d been hoping for a way out. A loophole we could use to make sure the hearing didn’t even happen. Because it was close and it wasrealand I was going to have to see him again.

He would be in the same room with me. I would be able to look him in the eye, and at the same time, I didn’t want to, knowing what he wanted to make me do.

“Come in, Mara.”

I went into the office slowly. We weren’t allowed in here. Not even to clean. The room was too big, and it was dusty because none of us were allowed inside. But it was pretty too. There werebooks. I wondered if I would be allowed to come in and read them now since he was calling me.

“Do you know why you’re here today, Mara?”

“No.”

“Well, come here, and I’ll tell you.” He gestured around the desk, and I didn’t want to obey. The only time you went near Malcolm was to be punished, and I hadn’t done anything to be punished. I had beenso careful.

Swallowing, I made my way around the desk, closer to him. My hands were shaking, so I hid them behind my back.

“Are you scared, Mara?”

“N-no.”

His face hardened. “You remember what you were told about lying? Are you scared of me?”

I swallowed again. “Yes.”

“You don’t have to be today.” His smile was creepy. “Today, I have good news for you. I’ve told everyone to start making you a very special gown. It will take a while, but it is well worth the wait. Do you know what I mean?”

True fear built up in my chest. I knew, even if I didn’t fully understand it yet. “I think so.”

“It’s you,” he said. “I’ve chosen you to be the next bride of honor. When your gown and veil are ready, we will marry. You’ll live with me and the other brides in the manor house. Would you like that?”

He reached out and stroked my cheek, and I didn’t know how to respond. I wouldn’t like it. But I also couldn’t say no. You didn’t say no to Malcolm. Ever. Everyone knew you said yes. And the last bride of honor still had bruises all over her whenever I saw her. And Adrian almost never spent the night in the manor house. She was always at other houses, doing things I wished I didn’t know about but always heard in whispers.