My hands fell away from Will’s arms as my eyes searched out Griffin. Though I wasn’t sure what I was searching for. Help, maybe? The right words to tell Will what had happened? Griffin gave me a small nod, silent encouragement.

I twisted my thumb in the hem of my t-shirt as I searched for the words. “I’m not sure if she was there or not. Sheriff Raines thinks it’s possible. There was a note on my SUV that wasn’t so nice.”

“What did it say?” Will asked, voice low.

“I don’t remember the exact wording.”

Will turned his focus to Griffin. “Was there a threat?”

“Nothing explicit. But, yes, it was threatening.” Griffin said it straight out, no pulling any punches, simply trusting that Will could handle the information.

“They going to arrest her?”

Griffin didn’t look away from Will’s angry stare. “The sheriff is going to question your mom and talk to her parole officer.”

Will nodded. “If she did it, will she go back to prison?”

“I’d say that’s a pretty safe bet. But they have to prove it first. It might not have been her.”

Will threw his hands up. “Who else would it be? Dad’s gone—probably in Canada or Mexico by now. Mom’s the only one who would be mad like that.”

I hoped that was the case. Because as messed up as what our mother had done was, I couldn’t see her actually going out of her way to hurt me. By neglect or selfishness, sure, but not by malicious actions. But maybe prison had changed Chrissy, made her darker. I had no idea.

I gave my head a small shake to bring myself back to the present. “Parker is great at his job. He’ll find out who did this.” At least, I hoped he would.

“Griiiiiiffffffiiiiin!” Mia yelled from the monkey bars. “Come play with me.”

Griffin looked at Will. “You okay?”

Will nodded, his cheeks reddening a bit. “Sorry about earlier. I was just frustrated.”

“I get it. Just don’t take your frustrations out on your sister.”

“I won’t. Promise.”

Griffin gave him a chin jerk and headed off to Mia, who was executing some spin on the bars that made my heart catch in my throat. Will bumped his shoulder against mine as we watched Mia and Ava play with Griffin. “I’m sorry I was a jerk.”

“Forgiven. I’ll allow you one jerkish moment a quarter.”

Will chuckled. “Thank you.”

We were quiet for a moment as Griffin said something to Ava. She bit her lip, seeming to think his words over, and then she nodded. He lifted her and held her waist as she made her way across the monkey bars.

“He’s really good with them,” Will said.