mi'

ost electric sil

et. My eyes were locked on Raymond's. His face was expressionl

softly. More of a question

shut the d

ied, "I

i

," he corrected. "But I was

to the box

aking. "Did you foll

tly. "Those weren't from me. T

ing his face would

when I sent that sample from lost-and-found at th

mach t

sted M

five years back," he claimed, his voice firmer. "The woman who departed from

oked

osed to happen,"

y sound. "No, I guess no

secret I'd ever kept. I clutched it to my ch

," he

s sh

g, that name had n

wly t

nize you?" he asked. "Not

g broke

uietly fro

-

ves had heard too many things. I did not go all the way to our room. I could

paternity

e it

rinted in bl

ned M

about it, Sh

up against my chest. My chest was shuddering, but not crying.

as f

re, then how long befo

at if the anonymous

-

that

truggling to breathe,

mothers do when they al

your head," she replied, taking a

mile. "Think

rl in the photo that

ped br

ut her hand with a photo of Miranda in sch

Beatrice murmured.

"She's e

She gazed at me.

lowed.

Alexa

o

s with darkness. He does not require motivation to strike that which does

er. "You actua

ize their work," she said. "And Naomi." Her vo

tar

r. Alexander may not have. Raymond may have

e her with no

went on. "But your ey

her hand

alone," sh

since moving into thi

-

ond'

o the room. I hadn't e

t the paternity report. Miranda Thom

ch

d a

had kept h

wers. But another part of me was aware that I had no right. Not after

lied,

se-some

en. The angles, the timing. whoever did

her in

was M

-

mi'

g out over the city lights. Each light reminded me just how far I'd tr

ly creaked op

ym

not eat,"

't h

ing. We stood there in silence

ed, saying,

ance at him.

ng last

to know sooner. I just... I didn

ve hel

n't kn

o. You know me. You know t

rt de

whispered. "She used to beli

gazed

I told him. "big muscles.

t an angle. "She go

ut it was s

," I told him. "Those pictures... s

sed. "

know they'

, his tone harde

..

kage the ne

n

urn ad

lded piece of

to know who

mind racing, and plu

o file

e. Hidden cam

e

a d

M

d over the cou

there co

smi

des a

not R

s Ale

from falling.

that man w

lip, everyt

n froze o

smoothe

xan

ht stand with t