“We already have someone doing that. And Raven has been questioning all the neighbors, checking to see if anyone might have seen anything or anyone who doesn’t belong.” A strangled sob came through the speaker. “Boys…what if she… Fuck. She hasn’t been the same since Nova died. All she does is cry. What if she…”

I stroked my knuckles over the inked face on my arm, wishing Nova were there so she could tell her dad that he was thinking crazy thoughts. But the truth was, without her, we’d all fallen apart, and those thoughts weren’t as crazy as some would assume. I’d be lying if I said the thought of ending my existence hadn’t crossed my mind. So many times, I’d wanted to just swallow a bullet, put myself out of my misery and find a way back to Nova. But every time I’d been about to do just that, the image of Nova’s disappointed face would fill my mind, and I couldn’t do it.

“Dad, stop,” Garret commanded angrily. “Mom would never do that. I know she’s been having a hard time, but she wouldn’t do that to us.”

“But what if—”

“She wouldn’t leave us like that,” Garret snapped. “Get those thoughts out of your head.”

“Maybe she got a ride to the airport and is on her way here,” I suggested, wanting to steer both of them away from those dark thoughts. “I’ll have someone check all the airlines, see if she’s a passenger on any flights to New York—or anywhere else, just to cover our bases. Is her passport missing?”

“Fuck, I didn’t even think to look.” The sound of stomping feet was followed by the shifting of papers. “It’s gone,” he muttered. “Her passport is missing.”

I was already texting Desi, telling him to check all flights, including internationally. Before I dropped the phone back on the bed, I had a quick thought and told him to check the airport cameras, as well as the flight plans for any private carriers in and out of not only the airport we always used when we went to Creswell Springs, but also the smaller airports.

While I’d been texting with Desi, Garret had been reassuring his dad that everything would be all right.

We would find Felicity.

I owed it to Nova.

45

Nova

Even with Mom to persuade Cali, it took three weeks before she finally gave in and allowed Dr. Ortega to admit her to the hospital in Bogotá. And only then because she’d started to bleed more heavily, causing Mom to panic and use her hard-ass mom voice that had even Guzman standing up a little straighter and Maria running to hide in the kitchen.

Not even Garret when he’d been at his worst had been able to ignore her when Mom used that tone. Cali, who hadn’t had a maternal role model in her life in several years, burst into tears and sobbed her agreement, apologizing repeatedly for being so stubborn.

Mom simply wrapped her in a comforting hug and nodded for me to call the doctor. By that same afternoon, she was in a private room on the maternity floor, surrounded by competent staff and round-the-clock security that both Guzman and I oversaw.