“I know,” I say, snuggling deeper into the blanket.

It’s why I want to try.

“Roman’s friend had a house outside of Columbus where he got sober way back when. Bea still let Roman use it whenever. We figured Daniel would be looking, so he took out cash on our way, then he avoided credit cards and drove hours to different ATMs anytime he needed more. He even sold his car and paid cash for one in Bea’s name. All these precautions to protect me.”

Shockingly, I have more tears left, but I blink them away. What happened was my fault. My guilt to carry.

“The first week, I cried and slept. But by the second, I was so fucking angry, Foster. He stole everything from me without consequence. My mom was dead, and I’d never see my dad’s SD card. I missed Sage and you. God, I missed you.”

He moves, the angle lowering as he sits down, but I still see the fountain.

“I was too scared to even log in to anything since he had my phone. Then one day I broke. Roman mostly only left for groceries or cash—even then I’d freak out until he came back. But he went to lunch with Bea, and I took the car, going back to Ashfield.”

“I was there twelve days after I last heard from you,” Foster says.

My heart aches when I tell him, “I was there thirteen after.”

“Fuck. If I’d have known—” He sighs, not finishing the thought. But I’m betting he would have been there a day later because I would have gone a day earlier if it meant seeing him.

“I made sure Daniel wasn’t there. His car was at an officer’s house who helped him. So, I parked several blocks away and climbed up the trellis. The window was still unlocked, my room untouched. I only wanted the SD card and to find my phone. I could delete the app or at least get your and Sage’s numbers, but it wasn’t there.” I shake my head. “I couldn’t bring myself to leave my room to look anywhere else. The only thing keeping me from talking to you again, and I couldn’t fucking open the door. Knowing I’d walk into the hall and see where…”

I said the words once, but I avoid them.

Foster shifts. “There’s no shame in that, Remi. I can’t imagine what it must have been like. You’d already been through so much. It was brave to even go back inside that house.”

“Yeah, and it ruined everything.” I pause, enduring the guilt. “I thought I was careful, but Daniel must have followed me because three days later, two of his guys showed up.”

The favorites. Elvin and Marlo. He let them off their leashes, both more terrifying than I gave credit for.