“Don’t say that shouldn’t have happened. Just say, ‘Now isn’t the time.’” I couldn’t take another moment of her retreating and pushing me away.

She let out a shuddering breath. “Now isn’t the time.”

But as I watched her disappear up the stairs, I knew that it would be the time someday. I just had to hold on until then.

20

ANNA

I stepped out onto the back patio, Mason’s and the kids’ voices muting as I shut the door. Only the occasional loud giggle from Lyla or shout from Justin cut through the glass. They’d rebounded quickly from their run-in with their birth father. The only hint of unease that remained was the fact that they hadn’t asked to go for ice cream the last two days.

The knowledge that my parents and Jeff had ruined that for them had hot anger rolling through me. But I took a long breath, letting the fresh pine air soothe away the worst of it. The kids were safe, and Mason was currently teaching them how to make homemade pasta. He had some sort of fancy machine that could form the noodles.

I moved farther away from the house until my bare feet met cool grass. Tapping on the screen of my phone, I pulled up a contact and hit the number. Someone answered on the fourth ring.

“Detective Johnson.”

“Hi, this is Anna Foley.” What I wanted to ask was why her department had been giving me the runaround for the past few weeks. Every time I had called to ask for an update or see when my sister’s body might be released, I could never get a direct answer.

“Hello, what can I do for you?”

“I’ve been calling the number you gave me to see when you might release Chelsea’s body, and I can never get a direct answer. Do you know what’s going on?”

There was silence for a beat before Detective Johnson answered. “Her body was released to your parents over a week ago.”

My footsteps faltered, stopping just shy of the paved area near the pool. “What?”

“They said they were going to let you know.”

But they hadn’t. And why would they? Not when they wanted to cut every connection I had to my family. “I have to go.” I hung up without even saying goodbye and tapped another contact. Keisha answered on the second ring.

“Hi, Anna.”

“Can you do me a favor? Or ask the P.I. maybe?”

Her voice lost the warm casualness it had held just a moment ago. “What’s going on?”

The only thing that made me realize that I was shaking was the fact that my phone kept bumping the side of my face. “The Las Vegas police said they released Chelsea’s body over a week ago. Can you find out what my parents did with her?”