12
DANIELA
I find nothing.
A chill ripples through me, crawling under my skin until I have to rub my arms to chase it off.
But I can’t stop.Not now.
The idea of Belinda sneaking out of Chef Charleston’s house in the middle of the night to meet a stranger makes my stomach twist.After everything she’s been through.After everything we promised her this home would be.Safe.Stable.Loving.
And she just…walked out?
She came home wired the next morning, practically bouncing off the walls, chattering about the games they played and the pancakes Chef Charleston made.I was so happy.Clearly she felt as though she belonged.
Maybe she was feeling comfortable enough to test boundaries.That’s not a bad thing.
But now I wonder if it was adrenaline from her secret meeting with the guy she met in the chatroom.
God, Belinda.What were you thinking?
I return to the house.
“Anything?”Raven asks.
I shake my head.“I’m going to check the computer again.I must have missed something.”
I return to Belinda’s room and scroll through the chat once more, looking for clues—words, hints, anything that might tell me who this man was.But the username is nonsense, the grammar is clean.Punctuated.Mature.Not another kid.
My throat tightens.
“Dani?”Raven’s voice floats from the doorway.“You’ve been in here for almost an hour again.Maybe it’s time to stop for tonight.”
I swivel toward her.She looks wrecked, with her hair piled messily on her head, her robe loose at the waist, her eyes rimmed in red.Vinnie stands behind her, his arms crossed, silent.He’s the stillness to her storm.
“This is all so ridiculous,” Raven says.“She knows better than to meet strangers.”
“She’s eleven,” I remind her.“Knowing better doesn’t always meandoingbetter.”
Raven presses a shaking hand to her forehead.“She’s been so good lately.So grounded.I thought…”
“She might’ve just been curious,” Vinnie says, ever the voice of reason.“She clearly wanted answers about her father.We should have told her, I guess.”
“No.”Raven turns into his arms.“We can’t keep second guessing ourselves.We did what we thought was right.”
“We did,” he agrees.“But she’s young and bright, and she knew we were keeping things from her.Hell, she knew what kind of man he was.He did terrible things to her.She wanted the whole truth.And she found someone willing to tell her.”
“But who?”I ask.“And why now?”
No one answers.
I stand and run a hand through my hair.The air feels heavy with all the things we don’t say.I grab my phone.“I need to call Chef Charleston.”
Raven frowns.“It’s almost midnight.”
I’m well aware of the time, but I’m already making the call before either of them can argue any further.
The line rings three times before a sleepy voice answers.“Hello?”
