She raised a brow like I was wearing a tinfoil hat, babbling conspiracy theories about the government faking the moon landing.
“Remember that Harlow boy?” I asked. “Years ago. The case that almost got me fired for helping that girl.”
“I … think so. Wasn’t that the one with the group of boys at a party? They raped a girl, and you refused to stay quiet even though one of them was some important person’s kid?”
“Yeah. That boy happened to be the AG’s son. He died of a drug overdose later.”
“So what lead are you following?” she asked. “Are you trying to find this guy from the gas station?”
“I have an address. It might help me track him down.”
“The police should do that. What if he is dangerous?”
I skipped the whole Nolan backstory. Too much to explain.
“They won’t help. And I don’t have another day to waste.”
She reached for her phone.
“What are you doing?” I asked, heart skipping a beat.
“Texting Brian,” she said, thumbs already moving. “I assume he’s at the bar?”
I nodded. She knew him so well.
Shame turned my cheeks red. What kind of family were we? Murder charges. Alcoholics. Beggars soon, if the lawyer bills kept piling up.
“He has a right to know where his kids are,” she said, not unkindly.
“I would’ve told him,” I said. “I just didn’t know how you’d react. If you’d help us.”
She picked up the apples and placed the slices neatly onto three separate plates.
“Just to be clear. I’m doing this for the kids. And having them here … honestly, it feels like I can breathe again for the first time in weeks. I missed them so much.” Amanda kept her eyes on the counter, not blinking. “But none of this means I agree with anything you’re doing. Or that I’ll help Lacey in any shape or form.”
It hurt to hear her say that, but I was too grateful to let that hurt last longer than a heartbeat.
“Thank you,” I said quietly. “I’ll call you later. It shouldn’t take more than a few days. One way or the other.”
She just kept her focus on slicing strawberries into neat halves.
I walked over to the kids, bent down, and kissed each of them on the cheek. They didn’t flinch. Too focused on the movie. But Dylan looked up at me with that worried look in his eyes.
I gave a small shake of my head, reassuring him I would be just fine.
He knew what I was doing. He’d overheard Brian and me before the fight in the kitchen.
And he loved his mom enough to let it happen.
A soft smile curved across my mouth as I kissed him again. Then I turned and walked back into the kitchen. Amanda was still at the counter, scooping fruit onto plates.
She was family to us.
So how could she really believe Lacey did this?
“Funny,” I said. “Last night, Brian reminded me of something.”
“What’s that?”
