Through Mike’s soft snores and rhythmic breathing, I wrote page after page of recollections until my hand cramped, a small price to pay for weeding out my thoughts. Closing my eyes, I replayed the conversation. Marissa claimed before I entered the house that Travis had threatened her. I hadn’t heard those words. In fact, I couldn’t remember him ever raising his voice to her.

“Put the gun down,” he’d said after her outburst of hate. “We can talk this out.”

“Too late, Travis.”

I rushed forward to stop her, but she aimed and fired.

I forced my mind to focus on their argument beforehand. Something about he forgave her. Travis had such a good heart. Those three words backed up many things Marissa could have done.

At 4:30 a.m., I nudged Mike awake. By now I was ready to crash. He grumbled about me letting him oversleep, but I ignored him. I gave him my journal and asked that he made sure Denton got it.

The idea of drifting off into oblivion seemed like an illusion. Were Dad and Aria safe? Had Marissa swallowed my story? Did she suspect the FBI were tracking her? If she refused my proposition, I had no idea how to proceed. Would she contact me before ten this morning? I expected her to linger until the last minute. Even so, the slow pace of time passing consumed me.

At 9:59 a.m., Marissa called, using an unknown number, yet I didn’t expect her to use the same phone twice.

“I’ve been thinking about your offer. I need help from someone I can trust. I’m spread too thin, been too hands-on.”

Busyness must be her excuse for escaping motherhood. “Where do I fit?”

“First of all, let’s be clear about one thing. If you’re out to steal from me or turn me in to the Feds, you’re dead. That includes Dad and Aria. They appear to be hiding out somewhere, which is useless with my network of connections.”

My stomach churned. “No problem. I’d expect it. I’m sure you know Aria showed up where I worked, and Dad retrieved her.”

“Bet he unloaded.”

“More than once.”

“They disappeared soon after. You don’t want to know what happened to my man assigned to watching Dad. At first I suspected you arranged protective custody, but the news claims you violated your parole and there’s a warrant for your arrest.”

“Right. I’m tired of living like this when there’s more to life than one paycheck to the next.”

“Mom talked to you privately. Anything I should know about?”

“She wanted reconciliation.”

“That’s our mom,” Marissa said. “She accused me of lying about my RA getaways. Other things too. I thought I’d have to eliminate her myself, but cancer took care of the problem. Right now, you have the benefit of the doubt.”

Only a monster conceived the idea of murdering her own mother. “Where do we meet?”

“Miami. Once you’re here, I’ll make contact for the next step.”

“Good. I’m incredibly bored.”