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He smiled, holding out his hand. “You must be Sharon Bradly.”
“Yes.” Her grip was firm as they shook hands. “I recognize you, of course.”
“Come in.” He stepped back, allowing her to enter the foyer before he closed the door and led her into the living room. He waved a hand toward Lia, who was standing near the window. “This is my friend, Lia Porter.”
“Lia,” Sharon murmured.
Kaden stepped behind his guest. “Let me take your coat.”
“Thanks.” Sharon struggled out of the heavy jacket. “There are days I wonder why I don’t pack up and head south.”
“This weather is brutal,” Kaden agreed, placing the coat on a chair in the corner. “But there are times when I actually miss the snow.”
“Are those times when you’re sitting next to a pool with the sun beating down on you?” Sharon asked.
Kaden chuckled at the woman’s dry tone. He suspected you needed a good sense of humor to be a foster parent. And the patience of a saint.
“Probably.” He nodded toward the long, leather couch. “We can sit in here. There’s coffee and muffins if you’re interested.”
“None for me, thanks.” She settled on the edge of the cushion, patting her stomach, which filled out the bright red sweater. “I’ve started my baking for Christmas. I think I’ve already put on five pounds.”
Her words reminded Kaden of his brother telling him that Vanna’s foster parents volunteered at a dozen charities. No doubt this time of year was a mad dash from one task to another.
“I’ll try to keep this short,” he promised, sitting next to her. “Have you heard from the coroner’s office yet?”
Sharon nodded, her dark eyes shadowed with grief. “They contacted me to get the name of Vanna’s parents for possible DNA matches, along with the names of her dentist and medical doctor. I’m assuming they intend to use the X-rays if they can’t locate anyone from Vanna’s birth family to help them identify the skeleton.” She paused, clearing a lump from her throat. “They warned me it could take a while to give me a firm yes or no.”
Kaden grimaced. He’d been so focused on getting answers that he hadn’t considered the old wounds he was ripping open. Sharon had raised Vanna as if she were her own daughter. Of course she was still mourning her loss.
“I realize this must be a tough time for you. I appreciate you coming over this morning to talk to us.”
Sharon nodded, but her expression was set in lines of determination. “It’s tough, but honestly, I’ve been praying for answers for the past fifteen years. The not knowing is the worst.”
“It was the same for my brother,” Kaden agreed.
“You said you had some questions for me?”
Kaden turned so he was fully facing Sharon. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lia standing next to the window, as if she was trying to avoid distracting them.
“Vanna never really talked much about her past. I was hoping you might give me some background on her.”
Sharon appeared confused. “Anything in particular?”
“I’m just trying to understand who she was. I moved to California not long after Darren started dating her, so she was pretty much a stranger to me.”
The woman’s lips twisted into a wry smile. “Well, if you could ever understand Vanna Zimmerman, you’re way ahead of me.”
“Complicated?”
“That’s an understatement.”
“How did she end up with you?”
“The usual story.” Sharon hunched her shoulders. “Her parents were junkies. Her dad overdosed when she was just a baby, but her mom, Lisa, tried to clean up her act a few times. Unfortunately, she always ended up back on the streets.”
“That must have been hard on Vanna.”
“A lot harder than she ever wanted to admit.” Sharon glanced down, her hands clenching as she allowed the painful memories to return. “If her mom had just abandoned her and walked away, Vanna could have hated her. But Lisa would get herself sober once a year or so and come to the house. She’d promise to do better and beg for forgiveness. At least until Vanna turned fifteen. As far as I know, Vanna never heard from her mom after that. I assumed she died of an overdose. Or was killed.”
