Page 108 of Glimmer in the Darkness

They also found a flight itinerary in the vehicle—leaving from Quebec City Saturday—and a printout of a beachside cabin. There were fake passports for himself and Ella.

When Cote called James that morning with the update, he’d told him another piece of evidence had been recovered, and James and Cassidy needed to go to the police station to identify it.

Late Monday afternoon, James picked Cassidy up at Reid’s parents’ house. Reid’s mother had offered her a room until everything was settled. James had delivered her there Saturday morning. One night under the same roof with James was one thing—Cassidy had slept in Hallie’s old bedroom—but any more than that and the kisses they’d shared might easily have become more. And, though James was eager for more, he wouldn’t allow them to cross that line, not until they’d made it official.

Assuming they ever did.

They still hadn’t discussed what would happen next. Would she return to Seattle? Would she consider moving back to Coventry?

Or would James be moving west? Either way, he wasn’t going to lose Cassy again. For the first time in too long, he felt like he had a family again. Not the one he’d grown up with, but Cassy was the family of his future. He wasn’t going to lose her. Not for anything.

He drove slowly past reporters in downtown Coventry, who shouted questions and aimed cameras their way, and into the gated lot of the police station. He held Cassidy’s hand and hurried her inside.

Whatever Cote had called them in to do, it’d better be worth the trauma of dealing with the media. He glanced at Cassidy, expecting to see pale skin and frightened eyes, but she smiled at him. “That was interesting.”

“They’ll go away soon enough,” James said, hoping it was true. “As soon as they have the whole story.”

They sat across from Detective Cote in the interview room. Before the detective could speak, James said, “What’s the holdup? Why haven’t you issued a statement?”

“We will,” Cote said. “We just have a few loose ends to deal with.” The table between the detective on one side and James and Cassidy on the other held one thing—a cardboard box. From it, Cote pulled a clear plastic evidence bag. Inside, James saw a tiny stuffed bunny on the end of a plastic keychain.

James took the bag and closed it in his fist as memories of his little sister assailed him. Hallie had carried that silly little rabbit with her everywhere for weeks before she’d disappeared. She’d loved it, pretended to feed it, and even slept with it.

Vince had kept it.

Cassy slid her hand over his biceps and looked at the toy. “I thought she’d dropped it on the trail.”

Based on the dirt smudges on the pink rabbit, it was likely she had. And Vince had picked it up.

His friend. All those years…

He squeezed the toy, then took a deep breath and set it in his lap.

Detective Cote reached in the box and came out with another plastic bag, which he handed to Cassy. She lifted it to see inside.

It was a small silver heart attached to a thin chain, a gift James had bought Cassidy for Christmas the winter before it all happened. She’d put it on the day he’d given it to her, and he’d never seen her without it again—not until she’d stumbled into his yard the week before.

Her fingers closed over the necklace, and she held it to her chest. “It got caught on the rocks when we were escaping.”

“Is that what you had me looking for the other day?” James asked.

She nodded.

“Guess Vince found it,” Cote said. “I’m sorry, but I need to keep them for now. After he’s convicted, they’ll be returned to you.”

They handed the treasures back to Cote, who put them in the box and closed the lid.

“You have enough evidence to convict?”

“More than enough,” Cote said. “We’ll see what the DA’s office does with it. Hopefully, they won’t make a deal.”

James didn’t want to think about a deal. “Any idea…?” James’s voice trailed off. He tried again. “I mean, we both knew him. What would prompt him to do something like this?”

Cote leaned back, eliciting a squeak from his chair. “He ever tell you about his mother?”

“Not much.”

Cassidy leaned forward. “What about her?”