Page 95 of A Love Like Candle Light

“Always my pleasure. Especially when no murder is involved.” He hangs up. I stare at my phone, slowly letting everything sink in.

My head is spinning. So much is happening. I want to be ecstatic about this case being solved, want to call Kylie and tell her the news, but I’m paralyzed, as I wait for Franks call.

“How long can this goddamn search take?” I mumble under my breath. I know it's an irrational thing to get hung up on, but I feel like I'm about to burst. So much is happening inside my brain.

What did I do to deserve Kylie? Who's jumping right in and fucking helping me find my sister. God, if this works out, I'll never be able to thank her enough.

What am I going to tell aunt Molly or Dad?

What if Lilith wants nothing to do with us?

What if she doesn't remember us?

All my thoughts fall silent when the phone on my desk rings again. Two long strides and I'm next to my desk, and I know what he's going to say before Frank says the words.

“Well, I'll be damned.” My throat burns with emotion. “We found her.” My knees buckle, and I fall to the ground with a loud thud.

“Really?”

“Really,” he assures me. “A scar on her lip on the left side?”

“Yup.”

“Freckle right above her eyebrow?” All I can manage is a sobbing laugh. “You tell your friend of a friend they did a damn good job, because this — this is spot on. I'm sending you everything over right now.”

“Thank you, Frank.” Emotions clog my throat, and my voice breaks.

“I'm the one who needs to thank you, son. Twenty-five years…” His voice is full of awe and regret. “I'm just thankful this got solved before I retire next year. This case has been haunting me.”

“Me too,” I mumble and get back on my feet.

I knew it. As soon as I considered giving up for good, the universe would send the one lead, the ultimate break-through. The ultimate ‘see what you would have missed had you given up.’

I lean my back against the wall, legs on the ground and rub my eyes. One door closes, the next one opens. I’m glad Frank can lay his ghosts to rest but me? I’m resurrecting one.

“Trust me, Frank. Me too.”

I can only hope all these years of searching don’t turn out to be in vain.

Chapter 33

Kylie

My stomach churns as I pull into my driveway. It's just Zach, I keep telling myself. I doubt he's here with any ulterior or shady motives. I don't even think he actually wants me back.

What he desperately needs right now is a friend. And as much as it hurts to admit, considering for how long I loved this man, this friend cannot be me anymore.

Abby darts out of the car as soon as I open the trunk, waiting patiently for me on my porch. I stay by the car for another moment and watch the front door.

Take a deep breath, Kylie. Everything is okay. You two will talk like adults, and then he'll go on his merry way and you can close the chapter for good this time.

The lightest rain falls from the sky, almost more of a mist than actual rain.

Determined, I push myself off my car and rush up the steps to my front porch. Let’s get this over with before I change my mind.

To warn him in case he didn’t hear me pull into the driveway, I ring the doorbell before unlocking the door.

“Zach,” I shout as soon as I push the door open. “I'm back.”