“Where is she?” I said in a low tone as I stepped over the overnight bag by the front door. I carefully put my black bag on the opposite wall.

“Upstairs, I think. Maybe the kitchen,” he said, his gaze on his phone screen. He briefly looked up, eyebrows raised, and nodded his head toward the kitchen. “Go ahead.”

We turned and took a step toward the hallway to the kitchen, hearing the front door open. Tim stopped and turned before he closed the door behind him.

“If she doesn’t snap out of this, I told her I’m taking the kids and leaving for good. She’s a mess, and it’s getting pretty fucked up. Good luck. I’m staying in a hotel for the night. I can’t be around her anymore,” he said. He shook his head and slammed the front door shut.

I wanted to chase him down and punch him in the face for being so clueless. How could he not see that this wasn’t something she had chosen? That his wife’s soul was in danger and crying out for help? No, he wouldn’t ever realize something like that. Only we could.

We exchanged a look in the hallway, collectively taking a deep breath. My eyes focused on the gallery wall next to me, professional pictures of Liz’s family at a nearby forest preserve. She had obsessed for weeks over their outfits. She was so proud of those pictures, so proud to show off her family.

We weren’t just doing this for us, but for Liz and her kids, her dream of her family.

I swallowed hard before I called, “Liz? Liz, where are you?”

Melissa waved a hand around to catch my eye and pointed to the backyard.

Yes. Right. “Liz, it’s us. Melissa, Jess, and Amy. We just want to talk. We miss you. Can you meet us outside? We have something we want to . . . show you.” My words echoed through the silent house.

Show you? Jess mouthed, and I shrugged frantically.

I was about to call her name again when I heard slow footsteps on the wood floors upstairs. With each reverberation, my panic increased until I could barely breathe.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Her footsteps were methodical, even. She was taking her time, calmly walking toward us. We were the prey, and she was the apex predator. She didn’t need to run; we weren’t going anywhere. At least, anywhere that she couldn’t find us.

She knew just as well as we did why we were there, and it was her chance to finally finish what had already started.

“Please, can you meet us outside?” My words came out shaky, thin. Weak.

How on earth are we going to do this when I can’t even speak?