Kim answers right away. “Corrine?”

“No, Kimmie. It’s me.”

“Molly! I’ve left you about a dozen messages.”

“The cops took my phone. I’m at my sister’s.”

“Oh my God, are you okay?” Her breath hitches, and she stifles a sob. “I didn’t even get a chance to ask you this morning.”

“I had to be quick. The cops needed to talk to me.” I start crying. Again. I barely remember our conversation from this morning, just a teary “Jay’s dead. Someone killed him last night. The cops are here.”

“I can’t believe it. Josh and I are devastated. Did someone break in? You could’ve been hurt too!”

“I’m fine. I didn’t hear a thing. No one knows what happened.” My voice comes out like a robot’s. “I found him, Kim, in the office. Someone slit his throat.”

“Oh my God.” The line goes quiet. Kim coughs and blows her nose. “You’re staying with Corrine?”

“Yes. I can’t go home until the police are finished with the house.”

“Do you even want to go back?” she asks tentatively.

My first thought is, I never want to set foot there again. Yet it’s my home. Jay and I were so happy there. It’s the first place I felt totally at ease, settled. Like an adult at long last. “I honestly don’t know, but I’m not going to stay with my parents, and Corrine’s place is too small.”

“You can stay with us.”

“Thanks, but you guys don’t need me underfoot. Willow needs you.” Kim and Josh’s daughter is only four. She was born seven weeks premature and suffers from developmental delays that have her in therapy twice a week, so Kim’s got her hands full.

“Willow’s fine. You know you’re her favorite person.”

“I don’t want her to see me like this. I’m okay here for now.”

“Do you want us to come over?”

I sniff back tears, nod, though she can’t see me. “Can you?”

“Of course. We’ll drop Willow off at my mom’s.”

“Thanks, Kim.” We hang up, and I dial Laken.

“Hello?”

“Laken, it’s Molly.”

“Oh my God, Moll.” She sniffles. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay. I was pretty out of it this morning. I don’t even know what I told you.”

“Someone killed Jay? How can that have happened? I can’t believe it.” Laken takes a big teary breath, mumbles something to, I assume, her husband. “We can’t believe it. Cal’s been a basket case since you called this morning.”

“I can’t believe it either,” I say. “We were just all together.”

“Do you want us to come over?”

“Please. Kim and Josh are coming too.”

“Of course. We’ll be over as soon as we can. But we got a call from a detective. They’re coming here to talk to us. We’ll come after that. Okay?” I hear her blow her nose. “Poor Jay,” she mumbles. “God, I can’t believe it.”

“Oh, I’m at Corrine’s, by the way. My house is a crime scene.” I drop my head in my hand.