“Jump into my arms and I’ll carry you,” Arianna promised, holding her arms out to her son. Raven hesitated. He was wearing black swimming trunks and his curls were shorn close to his head. The sight of him, so small and unsure, made Jack’s heart squeeze. Raven sucked in a breath, tightening his hands into little fists.

Then he leapt into his mother’s arms.

There was a splash. Arianna shrieked with joy, and Raven shrieked with her, kicking out his legs. She spun him around. Bounced him on her knee. Leaned in and said, “See? It’s always better when you’re with me.”

Jack froze at the back of the sofa. He kept sucking in short, shallow breaths, telling himself everything was okay. He hadn’t known Raven the year this video had been taken. There was no reason to recognize this scene, but deep down, in the recesses of Jack’s memory, he did.

“Dr. Holloway,” he choked out, and when Raven’s dad twisted around, he looked like Jack felt. Gutted. Bereft. “I need to ask you about this video.”

Raven’s father narrowed his eyes. He was wearing the same suit he’d had on when he picked Jack up from the detention center, but he appeared to be shrinking into it. The dark gray fabric was a mess of wrinkles. Deep circles lined his eyes. “Did I wake you? I’m sorry.”

“No, you didn’t wake me.” Jack sat on the edge of the sofa. Perched on the arm, just so, he could steady his trembling legs without sinking into the fat, white cushions like Raven’s father had. He needed to be able to leap up at any moment. Needed to get back to Raven.

But first he needed to solve a three-year-old mystery.

“I know you were seeing Lily’s mom while you were still married. I know she was your therapist,” Jack went on before Raven’s dad could interject. Whether Dr. Holloway had been seeing Evelyn in other ways didn’t feel relevant anymore. Both of his wives were dead. “Lily’s mom was a marriage counselor, and sometimes she asked couples to bring in mementos of a time when they were happy.”

“I… We shouldn’t be talking about this.” Dr. Holloway paused the video, as if to shield the memory from Jack. To keep it for himself. But it was too late for that, because Evelyn had already discovered this memory, and she’d used it to torture her stepson. To poison his mind.

“I know this is prying,” Jack said, “but Raven started hearing his mom’s voice in the months before he left for boarding school. You know that, right? The detective talked to you about it?”

A slow, careful nod. Raven’s dad was being cautious with Jack. Too cautious. “I think you need to let this go. It’s not healthy to fixate on Raven’s delusions.”