Chapters (97)
- Cover
- Back Cover Text
- Praise
- Booklist
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Eighty-Eight
- Eighty-Nine
- Acknowledgments & A Personal Note
- Excerpt
“I know Dad has some scary fans.”
“I just want to protect you, sweetheart. Get some sleep.”
Now, with morning here, Kayla shifted in her bed to see Emma dressed, sitting at the foot of her own bed watching the TV with the sound off and a phone in her bandaged hand.
“Is that my phone, Emma?”
“No, it’s a disposable one, a burner phone.” Emma nodded to the desk. “There are muffins, a bagel and yogurt if you’re hungry.”
Kayla got a bagel and took a bite. “Where’s Tug?”
“Boarding at Irina’s. After you eat, take a shower if you like, but we have to go.”
Chewing on her bagel and feeling strange without her phone, Kayla noticed that Emma was watching a TV news report on the discovery of a woman’s body in the woods. Reading the graphic, the locater map and crawler at the bottom of the screen, she saw that it was a homicide in Suntrail Sky Park.
“That’s near our house where we saw the helicopters,” Kayla said.
Emma said nothing as Kayla watched, reading the graphic naming the victim: Rita Purvis from Lufkin, Texas. Kayla had no idea who the woman was but she was curious: “Hey, when you came back from there looking for Tug you were all bloody.”
Emma turned to her. “I know. Right near our home where I fell. The whole thing’s so sad, isn’t it?” She shook her head. “Come on, get in the shower. Let’s get going.”
Kayla stared at her, unsure what to think. Her mind was reeling from recent events, including the letter from the college confirming Emma’s attendance, leaving her conflicted concerning her doubts about her stepmother, with a feeling of unease niggling at her.
Emma patted Kayla’s lap. “We’re going someplace safe to wait for your dad so we can figure things out.”
Kayla’s eyes went to Emma’s burner phone.
“Can we at least let Dad know we’re okay in case he’s trying to reach us?”
“He’s still in Canada.” Emma stared at the phone in her hand, smiled and nodded. “But it’s a good idea to let him know we had to get a new temporary number so that he doesn’t worry.”
They took a selfie together, then Kayla tapped out a message.
Hi Dad. It’s us. We had phone trouble and got a temp phone and a new number. We’re fine. Talk soon. Love you. K and E.
While Kayla showered, Emma packed up.
Then she went to the window. Keeping the curtains drawn, she surveyed the motel lot.
A few guests were departing.
Emma saw nothing unusual.
Twenty minutes later they were in her SUV, heading for an eastbound expressway, unaware that a car from the motel across the street was following them.