“I caught up to Betsy on the trail. She was alone. Freaking out, crying. She told me she was meeting Mary, that they’d had a fight. She told me I needed to leave her alone. Give her space.” Josh takes a big drink of water. “I was such an idiot. I still believed her. Believed she loved me even on the day she was introducing her sister to her new boyfriend. She promised she’d tell me the truth.”

I pat his hand. “No, Bo is not her boyfriend.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. I still believed her. This whole year. Even after what happened to Mary.” Josh turns and looks at me. “Betsy lied to me, and she’s lying about what happened to Mary. I know it.”

I look straight into his eyes. He believes everything he’s saying. “So you wrote me the notes.”

“First, I confronted Betsy. The day before Mary’s memorial. I know, it was bad timing, but she won’t return my texts, my calls. She sort of ghosted me.” Josh looks up into the bright tennis lights. “I asked her if she was with Bo at the park the day Mary died. She said no.”

“But you don’t believe her? Why? Do you have proof?” I try to keep the smile from my voice.

“Mary sent me a text. But I didn’t get it until after I’d left Betsy in the park. There is lousy cell service there. I left and drove home, and the text came in. Mary told me that Betsy was confused. Told me not to worry. Here, I saved it.”

He hands me his phone with Mary Harris’s, my daughter’s, text message saved. Their whole exchange is there.

Mary: I’m with Betsy. Don’t worry. I’m on it.

Josh: Thanks Mary. You know I love your sister. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.

Josh: Any updates?

Josh: Mary? I’m worried. I called you. Please text back.

I hand the phone back to Josh. My stomach flips. “Mary must have died before she got your text message. She was in the park. No cell service.”

“I know. When Mary didn’t answer me, I drove back to the park and waited in the parking lot. I figured I’d thank Mary, maybe talk to Betsy. Who knows? I probably thought we’d get together that night, Betsy and me.” Josh leans forward, elbows on knees.

“You didn’t find Mary, right?”

“No. All I saw were Betsy and Bo. Walking into the parking lot, together.”