I could fall for him, but that’s not allowed. I have to keep my fragile, fucked-up “family” safe…not because I love them, but because I have no choice.

All his words and all his looks are tiny spades digging at what we’ve buried. And that’s when I realize there’s a part of me—the smallest, quietest, deepest part—that wants him to find out the truth.

Part Four

73

Even the most normal houses can look terrifying when you know the truth. Amy’s new home gave me the shivers when all I had were suspicions. Now it chills my blood.

There are clips of Logan Connolly’s mum on YouTube, pleading for the safe return of her son. There are news stories about the disappearance. And there’s a photo.

If you stare long enough, and know what you’re looking for, you can see him. His hair is longer and two front teeth are missing. He has a chubbier face and a cheekier grin. But there’s no doubt.

Logan is Will. Amy took him. But, unlike the boy in the shopping center, she didn’t give him back.

Some mysteries are kept alive for years, but not this one. The news reports stopped after a few weeks, and Mrs. Connolly’s grief continued off-screen. The police talked about a nearby river and the likelihood of Logan being washed away. The officer in charge said they would leave no stone unturned, but some stones are harder to lift than others.

My head is spinning, and I run to the toilet and throw up, then sit on the floor, trying to steady my breathing.

The rest of the house is asleep, and I don’t wake them because I need to figure out what to say. Is it enough to show them a picture of Logan? Would they recognize Will as quickly as I did? I stare at the photo again and start to doubt myself. He was four, and now he’s ten. They look so similar, but I have to be certain.

If I call the police and I’m wrong, everyone will be angry. Not just the Pearces but Mum and Jay. I can already imagine them whispering through the walls: We need to do something about his anxiety. It’s unhealthy being this paranoid. It’s not normal.

I think I’m right. But I so desperately want to be wrong. My phone vibrates, and I jump, but it’s just Zak talking about a new Netflix show that he’s binged in a day. How do I reply to that? How can I pretend everything’s normal? Instead, I write a message to Amy, then wait because I can’t send it yet. Should I give her the chance to explain, or would they run again, farther this time?

I pull out the list of clues and go through them slowly.