“This one, about the murders in Eternity, about those skull girls, wasn’t it?”

Emma was silent for a moment, then Kayla started reading the story out loud, at which point Emma waved her hands. “Kayla, stop, please. Sure, that story’s about Eternity, but it was not the story I was looking at that time in the kitchen. That was something else, for school.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“It wasn’t this story, about the Eternity murders?”

“No, sweetheart, it wasn’t. You’re confusing things. Yes, the truth is, something about the case in Canada that Ben’s working on reminded me of my own life, and other things, and it saddened me.”

“Speaking of your past,” Kayla said. “I can’t find anything anywhere about a fatal fire twenty years ago at Tony’s Diner in Beltsville, Maryland, where you said your mom died.”

Emma blinked.

“Well, it might’ve been called Anthony’s Diner, or Anthony’s Grill. I know it kept changing hands. Mom called it Tony’s.”

As Kayla assessed Emma’s answers, Emma stared into Kayla’s eyes, softening her voice. “I know you’re struggling to accept me. I know how after your mom died, it was just you and your dad against the world. Then I came along and invaded your life. I know it’s hard for you. Listen to me—I’m not replacing your mom. I’m not an imposter and I’m not hiding anything. I love you.”

Kayla stared at her, and suddenly Emma’s attention flicked to the large glass doors that opened to the patio, the pool and the night. Then she looked at the oak cutlery block holding a set of big stainless steel knives.

Emma took one, held it tight in her hand.

Kayla caught her breath, never taking her eyes from Emma or the knife.

Tug barked, then ran to the patio doors, where he barked louder.

Emma followed, gripping the knife.

“What is it?” Kayla asked.

Something in the back had tripped the security system’s motion detector, activating extra lighting. The pool and backyard were lit up as Emma stepped outside with Tug.

Tug trotted to the dense shrubs, growling.

Emma searched the darkness beyond the lights. She could feel eyes on her before returning to the house, where Kayla was on her phone.

“Who’re you calling?”

“Our security company,” Kayla said. “They’re dispatching people.”

Ten minutes later, two cars with First Pacific Sentry Security logos arrived, lights flashing. The two officers, both barely older than Kayla, wearing police vests with company insignias, used powerful flashlights to sweep the backyard and the perimeter of the property. Then they checked the house and the home system.