Deliberate, calculated perjury from a beloved brother-in-law was not on the list of things her mind was willing to consider, and Richard had counted on precisely that.

The closer the traitor, the safer the treason, because those who love us extend to us a thousand small benefits of the doubt, and a clever enough betrayer can hide an entire murder inside those benefits of the doubt.

Elena’s trust had not been foolish.

It had been the ordinary, decent trust that family is supposed to be able to place in family.

That Richard had turned it into a weapon says everything about him and nothing about her.