Page 32 of Forever Gone

“No, you didn’t. Diane loved it. She had all those badges sewn straight. Mine were always crooked.”

“It just wasn’t my thing.”

“You told the troop leader you didn’t see the point of earning a badge for setting a table when you already knew how. I always remembered that.”

Selena leaned back. “Oh dear.” She let out a short, tired laugh.

“You were about ten.”

“I was opinionated early.”

Hannah gave a soft laugh. “How is Diane these days?”

The question tightened something in Selena’s chest.

“She’s doing fine.”

“Tell her Hannah Montgomery asked after her.”

“I will.”

The lie came too easily. The argument had begun during Robert’s illness, but it had hardened around more than his care: Selena living in Washington, Diane’s resentment, and accusations neither of them had ever properly withdrawn. Passing along a childhood greeting would mean opening all of that again, and Selena kept finding reasons not to.

She returned to the investigation. “One final question. Did Karen tell you what she planned to write? I mean a title or what it was about?”

"No. Only that it was a novel, she said she'd wanted to do it most of her life. I think her dad had tried his hand at writing and she thought it was in her, too. Listen, Selena… I'm sorry I have a few things to..."

Selena sat up. “No, that’s quite all right. I’ve got everything I need.” How she wished that were actually true. “Thank you for your time. Please send the booking inquiries and the contact information we discussed to my email address. I’ll text you it.”

“I’ll do it tonight.”

“If you remember anything else, even if it seems minor, call me or the sheriff’s department.”

“I will. Agent Raven?”

“Yes?”

“Please find whoever did this. That cabin was supposed to be a safe place.”

Selena glanced at Karen’s name on the page.

“We’re going to do everything we can.”

The call ended.

No useful lead had emerged, but Selena entered the information into the case log and sent Connor a summary. She attached Dale’s details for a routine check, then reviewed the pages once more.

The school creaked around her.

Night had taken the windows completely. The room beyond the lamp had become a collection of dim desks and cabinet shapes. Her reflection hovered in the glass above the sink, pale and incomplete against the darkness outside.

Selena closed the file.

There would be more to do in the morning. Hannah’s booking records needed checking. Gerry’s alibi required confirmation. Karen’s storage unit had to be processed, assuming local police had preserved it properly after the burglary report. Selena would need to see if any prints were taken at that scene.

For tonight, she had reached the point where tiredness would begin creating mistakes.

Selena lifted the loaner radio the sheriff’s department had issued her when she came back to Harlan and pressed the transmit button.