Scott rose. “I’ve got to drive back to school tonight. Paper due.”

“Not after you’ve been drinking,” Emma said. “Get up early tomorrow.”

I thought I caught a look of relief on his face before he said, “Whatever.”

He started toward the hall that led to the bedrooms, but a knock on the door stopped him.

Shannon, who’d been lying on her stomach on the floor typing on her laptop, sat up. “More reporters?”

Emma sighed. “Probably.”

“I’ll get rid of them,” I said.

But when I cracked the door, I saw Beth and Amy Foster standing on Emma’s front porch.

“Is… is this where Emma Lopez lives?” Unlike Emma, Beth Foster looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks. Amy, Shannon’s clone, seemed dazed. These two probably felt like they’d been sitting in the middle of a stampede for weeks.

“Emma,” I said. “You’ve got visitors.”

She cocked her head, reluctant to go to the door. “Who?”

“See for yourself.” I widened the door and said to these brave souls who had come calling, “I think both of you are welcome here.”

Kate and I left an hour later, but Amy and Beth remained. They had begun to warm up to everyone only after awkward introductions. No one spoke about Beth’s husband, and I didn’t think they would. Not now, anyway.

“You did what you promised,” Kate said, once we were on the road. “You found their sister.”

“Yeah. That feels good. This case has been all about sisters, hasn’t it?” I was giving her an opening to talk.

But what she said surprised me. “I’m not running back to Terry, even if you and Aunt Caroline think I should. The safest option isn’t always the best.”

“You think that’s what I expect?” Her defenses were still up.

“I-I don’t know what you expect,” she answered.

“The answer is no, okay? You ready to talk yet? About… him?”

“Not really.”

I reached over, found her hand and squeezed it tightly. “That’s okay. I can wait.”

And I could.

Leann Sweeney