He’d kept an eye in the rearview mirror, but his six seemed clear. They’d descended the mountains into the foothills and now the road curved around beautiful Lake Shelly, clouds playing upon the blue waters.

“I’ve only been here a couple times. It’s Dr. Bella’s cabin, but we used to come out here in the summers,” Tae said.

“Dr. Bella?”

“She was one of our adjunct professors at the university. Also a doctor of medical research, so Zoey and I were sort of glued to everything she said. She became a pseudo mom, or maybe an aunt, to both of us. My mom sort of lost interest in my life after she remarried.”

“Really?”

“Her new husband was a widower and had three kids, all younger than me. I think she liked being a mom, getting a do-over.”

They passed tiny homes overlooking the lake, the occasional million-dollar log cabin.

“My guess is that it’s hard being a single mom,” he said.

“It is. Especially when you feel like your life has been stolen from you.” She sat up straighter. “This is the turn.”

He took it, pulling onto another paved road that led back to yet another lake. “I wonder if that’s how my mom felt. Dying of cancer so young. As if her life had been stolen from her.”

The landscape had thinned here, not quite as lush. More rolling hills that, as they climbed, revealed the view of Wapato Lake. They passed farmhouses and A-frames. Some with pools, a few with vineyards.

“I’d definitely feel that way.” She pointed to a turn onto a dirt road. “If I was dying, I’d spend every available moment with my family.”

Her words tunneled in and sat there.

“She loved playing with you.” He shook his father away. “Where are we going?”

“This road Y’s up here. Take the left branch.”

He cut left, through forest that deepened before it opened up to a beautiful two-story timber-framed cabin with a wraparound porch and a view of the crystalline-blue lake out back.

It looked uninhabited. No cars in sight. No towels hung over the railing.

He pulled into a gravel area and stopped. Put the car in park.

“I don’t like the looks of this.”

She glanced at him. “It’s fine.” And then she was the one to pat his arm as she reached for the door handle.

His gut was firing, but he saw nothing, and by the time he turned to tell her to sit tight, she was already out of the car.

He fought past the tightness in his chest and got out. “Tae, just stay here,” he said, holding out his hand. “Let me go to the house.”

“Zoey!” she called out, and he wanted to slap a hand over her mouth.