During Harleys senior year in high school, however, Kelly went missing. She had gone camping with a group of friends at a nearby wilderness park, and when the weekend ended and she didnt come home, Greg and Dad went looking for her. The police got involved, but their investigation didnt turn up any leads. Harley and Greg continued searching the park for weeks, hoping to turn up some clue everyone else had missed, but all they found was a sneaker half-buried in the sand.

As the case looked increasingly hopeless, the family fell apart. Harley and Greg stopped talking, lost in their separate worlds of work and school, and Dad started spending all his free time at the local bar. When Harleys application to Harvard was accepted, she headed east and never looked back.

Now she was back, for better or worse. She only hoped this next conversation would go more smoothly than the last one.

As she approached the diner, she passed a woman in a floral dress and straw hat who looked vaguely familiar.

Louisa? she said.

The woman continued a few steps, then turned around. She studied Harley for several seconds before recognition dawned in her eyes. Harley Cole, is that you?

Harley smiled. The one and only. How long has it been?

Two years before Dennis was born. Thats what you do when you become a motherkeep track of everything in relation to your kids. She gave Harley a mechanical smile. Any children of your own?

Not yet. The Bureau keeps me busy.

Harley liked to drop this piece of information into conversations to stir curiosity. It was almost inevitable that the other person would question her about what she did with the Bureau. Louisa, however, hardly seemed to notice.

Its a pity, she said. Dont have many years left, not unless youre thinking of adoptingand that can be quite the crapshoot. Believe me, Ive heard the stories.

Harley smiled tightly and glanced across the street, thinking of Robs words from the night before. Should she have listened to him, given up the Bureau? Was she destined to become a lonely old woman, sitting up late at night and pondering the family she might have had?

So how long are you back? Louisa asked, interrupting Harleys thoughts.

Just a few days. Visiting family.

Louisa nodded. Then its back to the big city, huh? What is it, New York?

Boston.

Louisa nodded again, a pitying look in her eyes. Im not sure how you manage. Then again, you always did think for yourself. Ordinarily Harley would have taken it as a compliment, but somehow Louisa made it sound like an accusation.

Louisa adjusted her purse strap and sighed. Ive gotta get homeDarlene will be waking from her nap any minute. Dont be a stranger now, you hear?

Harley smiled and returned Louisas little wave, inwardly wondering how they had ever been friends.