The small house at the end of the cul-de-sac looked worn down, its paint peeling and the front lawn overgrown. Betty and Brent exchanged a glance as they approached the door. Brent shifted nervously, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets.
"Are we sure about this?" he asked, his voice low.
Betty nodded, her expression firm. "Claire’s the only person who might actually know what happened. We have to try."
With a deep breath, Betty knocked on the door. For a moment, there was no sound from inside, and Brent was just about to suggest they leave when the door creaked open.
Claire stood there, her face partially hidden behind the chain lock. She looked older than Betty remembered, her once bubbly demeanor replaced by something cautious and guarded.
"Betty? What are you doing here?" Her eyes shifted to Brent, then back to Betty.
"We need to talk about Megan.".
Claire’s expression tightened, and she shook her head quickly. "I can’t help you."
"Claire, please," Brent said, stepping closer. "We’re trying to figure out the truth. We need to know what happened."
Claire’s eyes darted around nervously, as if Megan might appear at any moment. "If she finds out I said anything," she whispered, her voice trembling, "it’s over for me."
"She won’t find out," Betty assured her. "We just need answers. We’re not here to cause trouble."
Claire hesitated.
Betty stepped forward. "Whatever happened, it’s still haunting her. And now it’s affecting Brent. Don’t you think it’s time someone stopped letting Megan control the story?"
Claire unlatched the chain and opened the door. "Come in.".
***
The living room was cluttered but cozy, with mismatched furniture and old family photos on the walls. Claire sat on the edge of an armchair, her hands twisting nervously in her lap.
"Okay," she said quietly. "What do you want to know?"
"What happened before Megan left town?" Brent asked, leaning forward on the couch.
"She was involved in… something with the youth pastor. Something that blew up."
"What kind of ‘something’?"
Claire looked down at her hands, her voice barely audible. "They were… together.".
Betty’s stomach churned. "You’re saying the boyfriend she mentioned wasn’t some high school guy. It was him?"
"Yeah. It was a mess. He was married, for one thing, and when people started noticing how much time they were spending together, rumors started flying. Her parents found out and shipped her off to some relative out of town. SShe’s been trying to rewrite the story ever since. Make it sound like she left on her own terms."
"Why hasn’t anyone said anything?" Betty asked.
"Because Megan’s parents did everything they could to bury it. And Megan—she knows how to scare people into silence."
Betty placed a hand on Brent’s arm. "We have to be careful, Brent. If she’s gone this far to keep it quiet, she’ll do anything to stop it from getting out."
Brent met Betty’s gaze. "We can’t just let her keep lying.".
"We won’t," Betty said firmly. "But we need to be smart about this."
"I hope you know what you’re doing," Claire said quietly. "Because Megan doesn’t play fair. And if she thinks you’re a threat…"
“We’ll be fine,” Betty’s voice brake a bit, her hand still on Brent’s arm. “This isn’t just about the baby anymore.”
Brent nodded, his expression dark. "No. It’s about stopping her lies for good."