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Tori seemed a bit surprised at the question. “Why yes. We had a very serious, long overdue conversation. I told him I wasn’t happy, but that was after he asked me if I was having an affair!”
Luna knitted her eyebrows. “What made him think that?”
“I’d been acting differently. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I had to take control of my life. I had let too many things happen to me without my own participation, if you know what I mean.”
“There’s a lot to be said about ‘going with the flow,’ but you can’t let the current carry you away,” Luna said.
“Exactly. And I was adrift. I didn’t want to bring another child into the world, especially if I wasn’t happy. That’s something a child should not have to experience, a miserable parent.” Tori started twisting her napkin again. “I work for a law firm and looked up divorce laws in North Carolina.”
“And now?” Luna asked.
“Well, that’s why I’m here.” Tori looked up at Luna. “Do you think it’s going to be all right? We’re really going to work it out?”
“It seems like you already are.” Luna peeked at the drawing. It was a little girl holding hands with a mother and father. The sun was shining. She ripped the page off the pad and handed it to Tori. “This is what I feel.”
Tori’s eyes welled up. “I feel the same way. It was a total lack of communication that was driving the wedge between us. I promised not to keep my feelings a secret, and he promised to be a better partner.”
Luna sat down at the table across from Tori. She took both hands in hers. “OK, now I have to ask you something very personal.”
Tori looked perplexed. “What is it?”
“Were you ever involved in a fire?”
Tori’s eyes almost bugged out of her head. “How did you know?”
“It’s a bit of a long story. Part intuition, part detective work.”
“You were spying on me?” Tori’s eyes got even bigger.
“No, not you specifically. Like I said, it’s a long story.”
Tori explained what had happened that fateful night.
“My parents were away, and my brother was home. Kyle and I . . .”
It was Luna’s turn to have eyes like saucers. “Kyle?”
“Yes, that’s my husband’s name. Why? Is it important?”
“Very. I’ll explain in a bit. Please continue.”
Luna was very serious when her phone rang. It was Gaines. “Sorry. I have to take this.” Luna got up and walked into Cullen’s showroom. “Hey. How’s it going?”
“You are something else, Luna-tic. The handwriting is a match. How you figured all of this out is beyond me.”
“I knew it! I knew it!” Luna was beyond excited. “She’s here right now. Let me finish up with her. I’ll call you back. You are the best!”
Before Luna went back to the café, she called Ellie, using Cullen’s walkie-talkie. “Ellie. It’s a match. The handwriting is a match!”
“Incredible! I am going to call Jimmy and tell him there’s an emergency and he needs to get here pronto. Do you think you can stall her?”
“I’ll do my best.” Luna went back into the café.
Luna sat down across from Tori. “Tell me more about that night. If you don’t mind.”
“It’s been a terrible burden to carry. As I was saying, Kyle and I decided to take a walk. I stupidly left a candle burning. Kyle and I heard the fire engines, and when we got close to the house, we realized what had happened. We were both so scared, and he had been talking about us running away, so that seemed like the opportune moment.”
“And your brother?”
