“Okay,” Eve said slowly. “Having you with me might not be such a bad idea. You might see things I miss.”
Lila’s face lit up.
“But,” Eve added firmly, “we can’t let your mother know we’re trying to find out about her past. Not yet. Not until we know what we’re dealing with.”
“She won’t find out from me,” Lila promised. Then she frowned, her expression growing more serious. “To be honest, I’ve always wondered about my grandfather’s side of the family.” She glanced at the notes again. “Circle Pond...” She looked up at Eve. “Brian lives there.”
“Yes,” Eve said.
“So does Uncle William.”
“Yes.”
Lila’s green-gold eyes widened as something else dawned on her. “Who doesn’t want us there for some reason. That’s why you quizzed him last night about his renovations. You were checking if he was being honest about them.”
Eve couldn’t help but smile. “You’re just too observant for your own good sometimes, kiddo.”
“So I’m right?” Lila pressed. “You think William is trying to keep us from going there?”
“Yes,” Eve admitted. “I think William is trying to keep us away from Circle Pond.”
“Because he doesn’t want Mom to remember living there?” Lila’s brow furrowed deeply. “Why doesn’t Mom remember her father or living here?”
“That’s what I want to find out,” Eve said.
Lila’s eyes darkened to a golden hazel, excitement and determination mixing in equal measure. “Ooohhh. A puzzle. We’re going to be amateur sleuths. Just like those true crime podcasts you love.”
“We’re going to be careful,” Eve corrected.
“I know how we can get into that gated community,” Lila said, her mind already racing ahead.
“Brian,” they said in unison.
“I’ll get dressed,” Lila said, her eyes now greener than green, the gold making them sparkle. She looked so much like her mother in that moment that it made Eve’s chest ache.
“You do that, so I can get dressed too,” Eve pointed out, gesturing to her towel.
“Oh, sorry, Aunt Eve,” Lila said sheepishly. “I came to find out what we were going to do today and let you know that Mom had already abandoned us.”
The word choice alarmed Eve. “Oh, honey...”
“That came out wrong,” Lila assured her, standing. “I’m really glad Mom has found something to occupy her mind.” She blew out a breath. “She was getting really obsessive again.”
“I know,” Eve said, nodding. “I was worried...”
“She was going to start cleaning everything, counting everything, and going into the same spiral she went into after Grandma died,” Lila’s voice dropped, and her eyes clouded over. “I might only have been six at the time, but I’ll never forget that.”
“I know, sweetheart,” Eve said softly. “So I have to agree with you that this newfound photography hobby is the best thing for your mom.”
Lila turned and walked to the door, then stopped. “Oh, and since we’re being truthful...”
“We were?” Eve said, looking at the young woman suspiciously. “What have you done?”
Lila grinned. “Well, I thought that a phone could get lost or tossed... so I kind of... uh... put a tracker in Mom’s watch.”
“What?” Eve sputtered. “How did you even...” She held up her hands. “No, don’t tell me.”
“Oh, and I may have put one in her purse as well, just in case.” Lila pulled a face. “I just wanted to know she was safe.”
