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Alessandra smiled. She loved this kid with all her heart. Although she was sorry to say so, he was more man than kid these days.
“But please stay where you are.”
More silence.
“You still there?” she asked.
“Allie . . .”
“I’m serious. If I wanted you to come, I’d tell you. Get off your white horse and—”
“OK. OK. I’ll see what I can dig up.”
She knew that tone. “What?”
“It might be worth a renewed effort to try and find out more about Dad—”
“I don’t like it.”
They’d agreed many years ago to stop letting the ghost of their father’s abandonment haunt them. The only way out of it was forward, which meant no looking back.
“But if he is the key to—”
“He was adopted, Garrett.”
“I know that, but—”
“A . . . we won’t find anything new. We’ve already tried. B . . . he would have told Mom if he’d known about any of this. C . . . you’re welcome to try.”
“The girl can recite her alphabet. I’m so proud.”
“Be serious, Garrett.” She paused before continuing. “To be honest, I thought you’d be freaking out right now, or trying to convince me to commit myself to the locked ward at the hospital.”
His uncharacteristic silence sent a chill down her spine.
“You’re right. I usually don’t believe half of what you tell me—”
“Thanks.”
“And yet . . . all teasing aside . . . I don’t understand how, but I suddenly feel like everything you’ve said is true.”
Cheld. His words sent a chill down her spine.
She reached her porch and was digging into her backpack for keys when Garrett yelled to someone in the room.
“On my way,” he called, and then to her, “We’ll play it your way, sis, for now. If I dig anything up—”
“Call me.”
“Right. And please, if—”
“If I’m in any danger at all, I will summon my gallant younger brother to ride into town on his white steed to save me.”
She could see him rolling his eyes. The image was almost enough to make her smile.
“You do that.”
“Later,” she said, hanging up. Then, pushing the key into the door, Alessandra froze. It was as if Kenton, Lawrence, and Laria had all appeared at the same time. The sensation was so powerful, so threatening, she didn’t need to be told what it meant.
