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Back The Newcomer
Chapters (71)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgments
  69. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  70. About the Author
  71. Newsletter Sign-up

“Nap time,” Letty said firmly, and for once, Maya didn’t resist, spooning up beside Letty with the stuffed elephant tucked in the crook of her arm. In a moment, she heard her niece’s breaths slow, felt her warm body relax against her own. She touched her niece’s plump, pink cheek and closed her own eyes, falling into an almost trancelike sleep.

Tanya appeared almost immediately. Her lovely face was pale and agitated, her pupils dilated. “Promise me,” she said, poking Letty in the chest. “If something happens to me, promise me you’ll take Maya and run.”

They’d had this conversation numerous times in real life and now Letty was hearing it again in her dream. Tanya swore she’d gotten sober, was going to her meetings, had thrown away the pills. Letty wanted desperately to believe her.

“Nothing is going to happen to you,” Letty would always reply. Tanya was overreacting, nearly hysterical. Forever the drama queen.

“You don’t know that. You don’t know Evan. I mean the real Evan. He’ll do anything to get Maya away from me. He won’t stop until he gets his way.”

“Okay, whatever,” Letty had said, not wanting to get her sister more agitated.

“I mean it, Letty. If something bad happens to me, it will be because of him. He’s got detectives following me. I think he’s got my phone tapped. I’m being super careful, but he’s rich as shit, you know? And he knows important people. He always gets his way. Always.”

“But not this time,” Letty had said, trying to calm Tanya. “You’re doing all the right things. You’ve been in counseling, going to your meetings. That arbitrator lady told you herself. You’re a good mom. Evan can’t prove otherwise.”

That was when Tanya did it. She leaned in and whispered, “I know you think I’m being paranoid, but I’m not. If something bad happens to me, you’ve got to take Maya and get the hell away from here. Don’t tell anybody where you’re going or why. Just go. Promise me you’ll keep my baby away from him.”

“All right,” Letty said, spooked by her sister’s intensity. “I promise, Tanya. It won’t happen, but if it does, I’ll keep Maya safe.”

That day, what? Six, seven weeks ago?

“I want to show you something,” Tanya had said, taking Letty by the hand and leading her into her master bedroom.