A flash of real alarm crossed his eyes before he forced out a scornful, dismissive laugh.

“She was hallucinating on heavy painkillers in those last hours,” Patrick sneered, flicking his hand.

“She was clear enough to be terrified of what you’d do,” I shot back, holding his gaze.

“Terrified of her own brother?” Patrick scoffed, leaning on the door frame.

“You tell me why she was so afraid of you,” I challenged, standing my ground.

He glanced at the guests clustered around the coffee table in the parlor before moving closer to me.

“Some ugly family secrets are better off buried in the dirt, Cassie,” he warned in a poisonous whisper.