Liar.
I find Alice folding towels in the en suite bathroom and, perhaps seeing the tension on my face, she excuses herself.
“Thanks, Alice,” I say as she closes the door, but not before Coco slips through and comes to me, raising her little paws until I pick her up. Maybe she senses I need comforting.
Together, we pace around the room for a while, then I lower myself onto the bed, unfolding the scrap of paper, staring at the three names again. Focusing on Eliza Bennett, who met a tragic end.
Do I really want to know what happened to her after she left the camp? Was Gabriel right in not telling me?
Coco settles against my leg with a sigh. I reach for my phone with one hand while my other hand moves rhythmically through her fur.
No new messages or calls, so I lie back on the bed and close my eyes, wishing I could block out all the terrible thoughts my mind keeps conjuring up.
Failing at harnessing my thoughts, I get my laptop and respond to some of my patients’ parents’ emails. I work for almost an hour, and then I’m about to call Rayline Green, my assistant at my child psychology practice, when a knock at the door startles me and Gabriel pokes this head through.
“Dinner’s ready in five,” he says.
“Thanks,” I say, my voice still tight. “I’ll be out in a bit.”
When Coco and I step into the kitchen, ten minutes later, Gabriel and Scarlett are already sitting at the island, in front of them pan-roasted salmon, roasted vegetables, and a big green salad. The smells make my mouth water.
“Hope you enjoy,” Alice says before returning to wiping down the counters.
“Alice, thank you so much for everything you are doing, but you really didn’t have to cook. We can more than handle that ourselves. There are three of us to take turns.”
“I know, but I had a bit of extra time on my hands.”
“It’s very kind of you.” Gabriel eyes the food with a smile. “This all looks delicious.”
“It does,” Scarlett confirms, but she isn’t looking at the food; she’s studying my face, worry darkening hers.
“I’m heading out now,” Alice says when she’s done with her task.
Instead of sitting down immediately, I follow her to the door. “Thanks again, Alice. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
She squeezes my arm. “You’ve got so much on your plate. Anything I can do to help, just say it.” Her sincerity makes my throat close up for a split second, so I just smile.
It’s when she’s walked through the door that I remember something I wanted to ask her.
“Did you ever find out anything about that new adult program at the camp? The one you mentioned?”
Alice hoists the handle of her jeans handbag higher up her shoulder. “Oh, sorry. I forgot to ask. But I will. I’ll ask around tomorrow. I know one or two people who are counselors there.”
“That would be great. Thanks.”
Dinner is quiet. The clink of cutlery against porcelain sounds too loud. While Gabriel digs into his meal with gusto, Scarlett and I push our food around our plates more than we eat it.She does not ask me about what Saul told us, which means she already knows everything.
After dinner, I excuse myself and return to the bedroom. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, I unfold the piece of paper again. Then reach for my laptop. Moving on from Eliza, my fingers fly over the keyboard as I type in the next missing kid’s name: Marisa Lane.
Nothing.
I add Saltspray Cove. Then Saltspray Cove, Florida.
Still nothing.
I try Anthony Hoggins. Again with Saltspray Cove.
Nothing.
