“It’s actually the best coffee in town. Listen, I know this is difficult, but as Ash’s mother, you may know more than you even realize.”

Now she was buttering Becca up, making her feel comforted and supported. Becca recognized that trick as well, but Wishard didn’t wait for Becca to answer, turning her attention to Christian. “I need a few more minutes here. I’ll meet you both there in ten,” she said.

Becca numbly followed Christian back across the sand toward the parking lot. “Joanne’s good police, Becca. You want her on this case,” Christian said reassuringly. She didn’t answer, already dreading all the questions about Ash, second-guessing every decision she made, wondering what she could have done differently.

They arrived at the IHOP ten minutes later. The place was bustling, the bar crowd filling their bellies with grease and coffee before sleeping off their hangovers.

“I’ll be right back,” Becca said, hurrying toward the bathroom. She leaned against the porcelain sink and closed her eyes, trying to erase the image of the young girl from her memory. She was so relieved that it wasn’t Ash on the beach. And yet she couldn’t stop thinking about the girl’s mother out there somewhere, waiting for a phone call, praying one day her daughter would walk through the door. Becca sighed and splashed cold water on her face, knowing she couldn’t hide in here forever.

She headed back toward the dining area, scanning the tables for Wishard and Christian. She rounded the corner and stopped short. Tucked into a corner booth, she saw Wishard leaning across the table. Wishard’s ordinarily stern demeanor was transformed by the warm smile on her face. They weren’t touching. To an outsider, it wouldn’t even register, but Becca understood body language. She thought about the conversation in the car. “There’s something you should know.”This was the woman Christian was going to marry. The fiancée.

It all seemed real now. He had truly moved on. She stood there, swallowing, trying to manage the rush of sorrow that overwhelmed her.

As if she sensed she was being watched, Wishard looked up and locked eyes with Becca. If she saw the stunned expression on Becca’s face, she didn’t show it. Christian, on the other hand, looked stricken. Becca steeled herself, hurrying across the restaurant to join them at the table. She slipped into the booth next to Christian. Wishard sat directly across from Becca.

“Dr. Ortiz, I don’t know if you heard about my relationship with Christian… I want to assure you…”

“I’m here to talk about Ash. That’s all,” Becca said, cutting Wishard off.

Christian cleared this throat, a nervous tic that used to drive her crazy. It was important to remember those things, she thought. The annoying ones. “We just want you to know…”