“Morning. Thank you, guys, you really didn’t have to bring anything.”
“Oh please.” Maeve takes her usual seat by my feet with a donut of her own. “You deserve this sugary treat after all the hospital food.”
I shrug my shoulders, taking a bite.
“How are you feeling?” Brenda snags a fritter for herself before taking a seat.
“Better. Definitely ready to get out of here as soon as they let me.”
“I understand. Well, it shouldn’t be that much longer.” Brenda smiles as she hands me a drink.
A knock sounds at the door. Detective Harlan stands in the doorway. My stomach flips.
“Hi, Isobel, you’re looking much better than when I last saw you.”
“It’s the donut.” I grin while holding it up.
He chuckles as he comes in.
“Please help yourself, detective.” Brenda gestures to the box.
“Thank you.” He nods and smiles.
“Did you find him?” I put my donut down. The tension in my stomach grows with every passing second.
Detective Harlan’s eyes scan over me.
“Well?” Maeve moves to sit next to me, taking my hand. “Put us out of our misery.”
“We did find him.”
The words echo in my mind as Maeve and Brenda speak, but I can’t process any other words.They found him. My dad.That thought causes something else to shift. The hope that starts to bloom quickly burns like acid.
What if he’s worse? What if he’s just another monster in better clothes? Igrew up in a house where the monsters weren’t under the bed. They walked through the front door like they owned the place.
“Isobel?” Detective Harlan’s voice cuts through the river of thoughts.
“Huh?” I look up around me.
“Are you alright?” His forehead crinkles.
Maeve squeezes my hand, and I nod.
“Yes, sorry, I was just… processing.” I clear my throat. “So, I was right, he was missing?”
“Not exactly.”
My brows furrow.
“So, when we ran your DNA through the Missing Persons Database, we got back a match, but it was for you.”
My chest tightens. I can’t breathe. “I-I’m sorry…did you sayIwas in the database?”
He nods. “Your DNA matched a child reported missing nearly thirteen years ago. Your name was listed then as Isobel Grace Ashthorne.”
I stare at him.
“I don’t— That’s not—” I shake my head. “That doesn’t make sense.”
