Kelsey averted her eyes, but not before noticing his thick black hair, the firm set of his jaw, the high cheekbones, the sinewy curve to his upper arms. He lowered the cup, still watching her, and she moved closer to Justin.

Eric pressed his fists to his eyes. “We have to do something—”

“There’s nothing else we can do,” said Neale. He poured himself another cup of coffee. “There’s nothing anyone can do. They’ve questioned everyone they can think of. Nobody saw her, and nobody knows anything. Or so they say.”

“No,” Eric said quietly. “I can’t accept that.”

Neale shifted and cleared his throat. “Dad…I think you’re gonna have to.”

Eric stared back at him. “Wasn’t there anything else Skip could remember?”

“I wouldn’t count on Skip for anything,” Neale said acidly.

“He still says he came by to get Beth at six, and she wasn’t here,” Justin broke in.

“But I was right next door,” Eric said. “Why didn’t he tell me Beth wasn’t here?”

“He did, Dad,” Justin said softly. “Don’t you remember? He said he yelled in at the door, but you were typing, and he didn’t want to interrupt you.”

Eric looked exhausted. “Yes, you’re right…I’m like that when I’m working…not always quite aware…”

Neale pushed himself slowly away from the counter. “Why don’t you get some sleep? If we hear anything, we’ll wake you.”

“Yes,” Eric said absently. “I don’t believe you’ve met—Neale, this is Marjorie and Kelsey.”

Neale mumbled something unintelligible and Kelsey nodded, escaping gratefully to the hall. She shook her head, trying to clear it, and started slowly upstairs, the floorboards groaning beneath her footsteps. The only upstairs light on was the one in Beth’s room…

Beth’s…

Kelsey hesitated in the doorway. Yes, Beth was everywhere, sweet and thoughtful, and somehow, very much alive…

Rubbing the sudden chill from her arms, Kelsey reached into the closet for a hanger, and was startled when a piece of paper fell onto the floor. She leaned down and picked it up, a puzzled smile on her face as she read:

Kelsey,

I know we will be great friends!

Love, Beth

How special, Kelsey thought…so considerate, so accepting… Trusting, Kelsey decided. Beth must have been so trusting…

It was so cold in here. Kelsey tried to close the window over her bed, but it wouldn’t budge. Pulling harder, she felt her earring snag on her sleeve and drop down behind the headboard. Easing onto her stomach, she reached under the bed and accidentally knocked her pillow onto the floor.

There beside her where her pillow had been, was a small piece of folded notepaper.

Kelsey smiled, propping herself on her elbows as she unfolded it Beth must have put it there, for her to find when she went to sleep tonight—

The smile froze on Kelsey’s face.

The writing blurred, and her hands began to shake.

Kelsey,

I think someone is going to kill me.

Chapter 3

IT WAS A JOKE, of course. It had to be.