“Remi?”

If Manette had not started crying, Remi would have been the first. She embraced the petite woman for as long as the other held on. Another familiar face finally broke them apart.

“Madame Leone?”

“Monsieur Lamotte?” Remi pulled away, surprised. Another friendly face would have been nice any other time, but Lamotte’s presence was suspicious. “What are you doing here?”

Manette stepped inside and pulled Remi along. Elise followed behind her. “He came to pay his respects and share tea with a grieving mother,” Manette explained.

“I brought biscuits,” he added awkwardly. Lamotte was never short on words.

“You must join us,” Manette insisted as she pulled Remi toward a table.

It was the first time Remi had seen the inside of their home. It was small; without Leith’s other siblings running around, it was quiet and calm.

“Have a seat, please,” Manette said. “I’ll put together a cup of tea for you both.”

Elise, ever the humble guest, took her seat first. “I take sugar with mine.”

“Two for me,” Remi said, sitting beside Elise.

Lamotte opted for the chair on the opposite side and busied himself with a biscuit.

“My Leith knew just about everyone in town.” The cups clinked as Manette spoke. “There isn’t a soul who hasn’t come to see me yet.”

“My condolences to you and your family,” Elise offered. “He was so kind.”

“He was one of my closest friends,” Remi said, sharing a pointed look with Lamotte. He nibbled at his biscuit, unshakable. Manette set their tea down and joined them at the table. She was beside herself with grief, as anyone would be.

Remi’s heart broke for her.

“I just can’t believe he drowned,” Manette choked, gathering her apron in two shaking hands. “He was a good boy. Never drank too much, and there wasn’t a single body of water he couldn’t conquer. We made sure of that.”

Every child on the Isle was a strong swimmer, even Remi, who had been taught much later on. It was part of the island life; the water could turn at any point. Learning early on spared mothers the worry of their children drowning while they played. Leith would have been no stranger to an ornery undercurrent. He was, to Remi’s observance, a strong swimmer. They’d spent enough time together in her youth to know he could brave the most treacherous tides.

Manette turned to Remi and touched her arm. “Do you think Monsieur Leone might be right?”

“Pardon?” Remi asked.

“About Leith.” Her dark eyes pleaded.

Remi looked to Elise, who was just as confused, then to Lamotte, whose alarm was tangible. What does he know?

“My dear lady,” Lamotte said as he tried to coax her away from Remi, “I think it is wise to trust in our doctor.”

Manette turned to him, bordering on mania. “But Monsieur Leone was there, too! And he didn’t agree with the doctor. We all heard him!”

“What do you mean?”

“Manette, please,” Lamotte pleaded. “He drowned.”

“But I⁠—”

“Monsieur Lamotte,” Remi snapped harder than she meant to. “May I speak with you outside?”

He hesitated. He seemed out of place in Manette’s small kitchen. His face drenched in sweat, he wiped at his brow with a kerchief from his pocket. “I’ll take my leave then.”

“So soon?” Manette asked.

But he was already walking away with Remi steps behind him. Elise stole the conversation, her voice a song as she recounted some of Remi’s stories about Leith.

Outside, Lamotte patted his face again and wiped at his mustache. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”

“What’s this about?” Remi demanded. “What did she mean?”

“There is a rumor making its way around the Isle that Leith was murdered.” His joviality turned dour. “Ben inspected his body at the docks and, despite what the doctor said, some believe it to be true.”

Remi’s body went cold. “Ben...did what?”

“He inspected the body.” Lamotte frowned. “He was there moments after they pulled Leith from the water.”

“He said nothing to me.”

“Ah.” Lamotte smacked his lips together. “Well, it is best that he kept it to himself. The last thing anyone on the island needs to worry about is murder.”

“Do you disagree with him?” Remi asked, her stomach sick with worry and confusion.

“I am a lawyer,” he said with great aplomb, “not a doctor. My business is in books, not bodies.”

He doesn’t agree, she thought.

“I’m off then,” he said but stopped halfway. “Oh, would you please remind Ben about the documents he asked about? I assume he mentioned that, at least.”

“Yes.” Remi didn’t like his tone. “He mentioned something of the sort.”

“Very well then. If you are in agreement, he can come to get them at his leisure. I’ll send along some paperwork with a courier this evening.” He added, “You’ll need to sign them, Madame.”

“Of course.” Remi nodded.

“Then I’ll be off.”

Remi watched him go, tottering off into town as though nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t floored her, shaken her world again with suspicions and rumors that Leith might have been murdered. And Ben knew. He’d seen the body and inspected it for himself. There were so many complicated feelings taking up space inside of her, and she wanted them gone.

“How could he have known?” she asked herself quietly, her voice barely a whisper.

“Psst.”

Remi’s ear twitched.