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Crows for the win.
I dove straight in. “Why did you agree to meet in the woods with information about your daughter? Why not lie and say they had the wrong family?”
Her mask fell away. “Because the message came from the original account on the changeling forum. There seemed no reason to lie.”
“Did you think they wouldn’t come looking for you?”
She glanced furtively around the neighborhood. “Come in before the whole neighborhood discovers I have a child from Faerie.”
I entered the house and inhaled the lemon fresh scent. At least she hadn’t lied about cleaning.
She stopped in front of the family portrait. “I guess this is what gave me away.”
“I had other evidence.”
She nodded and continued into the kitchen.
“No Mr. Peele?”
“Not anymore. He left not long after I brought my daughter home.”
“And your son? He isn’t fae.”
“No, he’s mine.” She motioned to the stool at the kitchen counter. “Can I get you anything?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“So who are you?” Sarah asked. “I can tell you’re not one of them.”
“My name is Lorelei Clay. I’m working on behalf of the family to locate your daughter.”
“I see.” She poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot. “I guess they were unhappy when I failed to show up.”
“More like confused.”
“I didn’t know what to do. I hardly expected to receive a message like that after eighteen years. I agreed to the meeting and then pretended none of it ever happened.”
Avoidance. One of my favorite games.
“What did your husband think when you came home with an infant? Did he know?”
She offered a rueful smile. “It was the beginning of the end of our marriage.”
“He didn’t want kids?”
“No, he did not. He’d made that clear when we were still dating, and I’d agreed.”
“What changed?”
She hesitated. “I did. At the time, I didn’t see myself as a mother, so I went along with Tony. We were going to travel all the time. Retire early.” She heaved a sigh. “The tradeoff was worth it, though. I don’t regret a thing. Not giving up my career. Not losing my husband. None of it. Raising children is the best decision I ever made.” She set down her coffee cup. “I’m curious. How did you find me?”
“I have experience tracking lost heirs.”
She perked up. “Heirs? Did someone die?”
“Her father.”
“Well, I guess it bought him eighteen years. Hope it was worth it.”
