Ava’s voice cut into my thoughts. “Can you take us to Cae Cae?”

“Who’s Cae Cae?” Raines asked.

“My sister. She’s on the phone,” Will said.

“Is it all right if I talk to her?”

“Sure.”

The phone beeped as he took me off speakerphone. “Ms. O’Connor, we’ve got them. They look scared but are perfectly safe.”

I burst into tears. Through my sobs, I managed to get out, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“Of course. We’re going to take them to the sheriff’s station on Shelter.”

“Okay. I’m in Seattle. I go to college here. But I’m going to get over there as fast as I can. Will you take this phone so that you can update me if anything changes?”

“I’ll keep the phone with me. Take a deep breath. They’re going to be fine.”

But that wasn’t completely true. Sure, physically, they were okay. But emotionally? The kids were traumatized. And I didn’t know the first thing about how to heal those wounds. But like with everything else, I’d simply have to find a way. I just had to get to my siblings first.

“Cae Cae!”

Ava hurled herself at me as soon as I crossed the threshold of the staff lounge at the sheriff’s station. I caught her, lifting her into my arms and rocking her back and forth. “I’m here now. You’re okay.”

She pressed her little face into my neck. “I was so scared.”

I held her tighter against me as I squeezed my eyes closed. “I’m so sorry, Avs.” As her small body trembled against me, I vowed that she would never feel scared like that again.

I scanned the room, my gaze catching on Harriet, Kenna’s adoptive guardian. She’d been the one to arrange a boat for us from Seattle to Shelter Island and had immediately headed to the sheriff’s station herself. She rose, little Mia fast asleep in her arms.

I blinked back tears. “Thank you so much, Harriet. I don’t know what I would’ve done…”

“Oh, hush now. You know I’d do anything for you girls.”

Kenna crossed to the older woman, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you.”

“I’m happy to help however I can.”

“Where’s Will?” I asked.

Harriet inclined her head to the hallway. “Deputy Raines was getting him a soda and a snack. I think the adrenaline was wearing off. He was getting a little shaky.”

My eyes fell closed again as if I could will away the nightmare of the past few hours. I had so many questions, but I didn’t want to ask any of them in front of little ears. I pressed a kiss to Ava’s head. “Can you go to Bell? I want to find Will.”