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It was strawberry chocolate chip flaxseed waffles, which Tessie promised she liked better. She gobbled them down, unaware that her favorite uncle had been missing yesterday.
Then again, Bastian was unaware that I might have been the last to see him, and I wasn’t about to confess anything.
Bastian showered, changed, and left before Tessie finished her breakfast. Luna cleaned up the dishes and left, too.
The concierge sent a few security guys up with some portable tech. They took my fingerprint, retinal scan, and breath scan. My fucking breath.
Tessie watched from the kitchen island, her little feet dangling off the barstool.
She kicked the side of the island just to watch her shoes light up before looking at me. “Are you going to tell me what’s happening?”
“What do you mean?”
I knew what she’d meant. I just didn’t want to be the one to tell her. For one, it wasn’t my place. I also didn’t want to be the one to break that news.
I knew in my gut this wouldn’t end well.
Vince wasn’t just missing.
He was either already dead or about to die. I’d seen that look in his eyes, the sunken-in cheeks, the way he’d sought out closure. He’d been preparing to die.
I just hadn’t realized how soon.
Tessie kicked the island again, and her shoes flashed a kaleidoscope of colors onto her ankles.
“Everyone is freaking out. I called Daddy while you were breathing into that thingymabob, and he seemed scared. I think. I don’t know.” She scratched at her shoulder. “I’ve never seen him or Bastian scared. Except once.”
I nodded my thanks to the security team as they finished packing up their stuff, handed me a badge and keycard, and let themselves out.
I considered answering Tessie’s question, but again, it wasn’t my place, so I redirected it.
“What happened that one time?”
“It was a few years ago. My cousin took me to our cabin in Big Bear. There was a squirrel outside. It looked hungry, so I grabbed some food from the kitchen and snuck out the back. It ran away from me when I tried to feed it, so I chased it. I tripped on some wood and broke my leg. It was snowing. I was too far from home. I called for help until I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Daddy, Bastian, and Mommy were all in the same room. I hadn’t seen them in the same room for a while, but they all looked scared until the doctor told them I’d be okay.”
“Were you scared?”
“No. I didn’t know what was going on, but the doctor was right. Everything was okay.”
“Are you scared now?”
“No. I don’t know what’s going on.”
I grabbed her hands and kneeled a little, so we were face to face. “Good. I’m going to tell you the same thing the doctor told you. You’re going to be okay. No matter what happens in life, no matter if you break your leg and get too cold, no matter if everyone is acting funny around you, no matter how you feel in one moment, you will be okay. You have so many people who love you and want you to soar, and you are the smartest little girl I’ve ever met. If anyone is going to be okay, it’s you.”
She flung her arms around my shoulders and dug her nose into my hair. “It’s Uncle Vince, isn’t it?”
I pulled back and studied her. “Why do you think that?”
“He snuck into Daddy’s house after Asher married Lucy. He told me to never be scared because he’s always with me, but he’s not here now. I talked to Bastian, Daddy, and Mommy this morning. Uncle Frankie and Uncle Eli called me, too. Asher and Lucy are with Bastian. Where’s Uncle Vince?”
My heart broke for the little girl who’d never have another second with her favorite uncle, who didn’t realize the last time she’d seen him would be the last memory she had of him, who was too young to feel this kind of heartbreak.
I shoved down the tears I felt building behind my eyes and whispered, “Close your eyes.”
She did.
I grabbed her hands and held them tight.
