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Cassie hauled herself to her feet. “Not sure. There was darkness. Flashing lights. And this weird sound.”
“Flashing lights, like a cop car?”
“No, not blue and red.” Cassie checked her memory to make sure. “Just regular light.”
“From a flashlight?”
“I don’t know.” She couldn’t keep the frustration from her voice. It was bad enough she had missing memories, but now she had memories she had to interpret like a vision. “I need some air.”
“Do you want me to get Mom? Should you get checked out or something?”
“I’m fine.” Cassie brushed past Laura, but then paused at the doorway. She couldn’t look her in the eye, but she didn’t want her sister to think she was mad. “Thank you. For staying with me.”
“You’re welcome, but—”
“I’m fine.” Cassie was halfway down the hall already. “I just need some air.”
Panic rose in Cassie’s chest as she stumbled down the stairs. The walls were moving in on her, and she couldn’t get to the backyard fast enough. When she hauled opened the French doors, she didn’t even bother to close them behind her before she launched herself into the chill of the day. She sunk to her knees, not caring if her pants got wet, and stared down at the bracelet in her hands.
Why did everything have to be so difficult? Why did all her answers have to come with more questions? Why was each puzzle piece a miniature puzzle in its own right? She enjoyed helping people and solving these mysteries, but sometimes she just wanted them to be straightforward.
Was that too much to ask?
Cassie felt someone approaching her from the left. When she looked up, Sebastian was standing next to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and a chill went down her spine. It was not unwelcome.
“Nice to see you again,” she said, and she meant it. “You okay?”
Sebastian didn’t answer, but he didn’t look away either. That was good enough for her.
“I’m sorry for everything.” Her breathing came in shudders. The panic attack lingered. “I’m sorry I ignored you for all that time. I was scared and frustrated. Not much has changed, I guess. But I’m ready to listen now.”
She held the bracelet up so he could see it.
“Is this what you wanted me to find?”
He looked down at her hands, then back up at her and blinked once. She took that as a yes.
“Any chance you want to tell me what it all means?”
He looked away, somewhere behind her.
“That’s okay. It was a longshot.” She tucked the bracelet into her pants. “Hey, does the name Ethan Miller mean anything to you?”
Sebastian’s gaze returned to her, and for the first time since she’d met him, she could sense genuine emotion on his face. He wasn’t excited, exactly, but…hopeful.
“He looks just like you. Does he have something to do with Sarah’s disappearance, too? If there’s anything you can tell me, anything—”
“Cassie?”
Her mother’s voice rang out across the yard, and as soon as it reached them, Sebastian disappeared. There was no easy dissolving of his spirit, or lingering wisps of his face. One second he was there, and the next, he wasn’t.
Cassie stood and brushed off her knees. When she turned, her mother was already halfway across the yard. Her face held concern, but there was apprehension in her eyes, too.
“What are you doing out here?” Judy looked from Cassie’s knees to her face and then searched the yard for something she’d never be able to see. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just needed some air.”
“What’s wrong?”
