Twenty-Two
Hoffman now shared with Rosario the dubious honor of being my prime suspect. Maybe he’d even edged Rosario out of that spot. After all, my neighbor might have hated Freddie with a dart-throwing passion, but Hoffman was the one caught on video near the location of the murder, and he was the one with the label that had likely been taken from the scene of the crime.
As much as I wanted to talk my findings over with Jemma and Theo, that would have to wait. When I got home, I barely had a chance to change out of my burglar outfit and do a rush job of tidying the apartment before my parents showed up to return Livy from her weekend at Grandma and Granddad’s house in West Haven.
As soon as I opened the door in response to their knock, Livy threw herself at me, wrapping her skinny arms around my waist and pressing her face into my stomach. My heart nearly exploded.
“Hey, sweet Livysaurus!” I said brightly, running a hand down her strawberry blonde hair. “Did you have a good weekend?”
She nodded and released me, immediately bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. “We went to the nature center and saw turtles and lots of cool stuff, and then we had ice cream!”
I smiled at her excitement. Nothing made me happier than seeing her happy.
“Lucky girl,” I said, giving her another hug. “I guess that means you don’t need the chocolate ice cream I put in the freezer for tonight.”
“No, it doesn’t!” She wriggled out of my arms. “I always need ice cream!”
I laughed. “Darn. And here I thought I’d get to eat it all myself.”
She gave her head an emphatic shake. “No way!”
My mom broke in, speaking to Livy. “Honey, why don’t you take your things to your bedroom? Granddad will help you put your new books on your shelf.” She gave my dad a pointed look that sent apprehension thrumming in my chest.
“Let’s go, sweet pea,” my dad said, taking Livy’s hand and carrying her bag.
My mom shut the apartment door with a quiet thud.
“What’s wrong?” I asked with trepidation.
“Nothing’s wrong, Emersyn.” Despite her words, the tone of her voice warned me that I wouldn’t like what she was about to say next. “But your father and I have been talking.”
“About?” My mouth had gone so dry that I barely got the word out.
She adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder and lowered her voice. “I think you’ll agree that Olivia has to be the top priority for all of us.”
“She is.”
“She has such a wonderful time when she stays with us,” my mom continued, as if she hadn’t heard me.
“Of course she does. You’re great with her.”
“I’m glad you agree.”
“Because?” I prodded, even though it felt a bit like poking a poisonous snake.
“Because your father and I think it would be best for Olivia if she came to live with us full-time.”
I grabbed the corner of the kitchen counter, desperate to steady myself as the floor tilted beneath me. For a second, I wondered ifwe were experiencing an earthquake, but then I realized it was just my personal world that had tipped on its axis.
“But I’m her guardian.” Shock gave my voice a vague quality that sounded unfamiliar to my ears.
“Don’t you think it’s best to change that?” my mom asked, as if she were discussing something as ordinary as changing the curtains or the wall color.
“No!” The word came out forcefully even though I could barely breathe. “Ethan wantedmeto look after her.”
Hurt flashed in my mom’s pale blue eyes. Then they turned flinty. “Your brother was very ill at the time.”
“He still knew his own mind.”
