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“Pretty much.”

Braithe stared at her, hard, before nodding.

And then she was looking over Rainy’s shoulder at Viola, jumping to her feet to greet their friend.

“Let’s welcome back Rainy Ives, the woman who took down Tauredia.” The host had big teeth. She nodded around at her unseen audience before turning to Rainy, growing serious.

“Why did you risk your life instead of walking away from Braithe?”

“It was fight or flight, and I was tired of flying. Braithe was there because of me, because Ginger happened to see her with me that night. I didn’t see another option, because Sara saved my life all those years ago. And once someone has extended that courtesy, the wealth of gratitude never goes away.”

“Do you regret not going back for Sara? And do you think it would have made a difference if you had?”

“I don’t know. I’ll live there forever, though, wondering. I was too afraid to think about her back then, but I’m not afraid to think about her anymore.”

“Rainy, can you take us back to that day when Sara helped you escape from the compound? We know now that Sara later became the victim of a serial killer who, fifteen years later, kidnapped your friend Braithe and held her captive. My God, the twists in this story!” She turned to the audience. Looking back at Rainy, she said, “Is there something you wish you could say to Sara and your mother all these years later?”

Rainy knew her face was on full display, including the mist in her eyes, which she tried to hide by turning away. But there was nowhere to go on live television. She thought of the note she’d slipped into Derek’s backpack.Your mother saved my life once. She unlocked a door that led to my freedom. Here’s yours.She’d included a wad of cash that she hoped would set him up for at least a little while.

She looked over at him now, where he sat at the back of the studio. He’d set down his sketchbook to watch. Rainy pulled a strand of hair from the corner of her mouth and looked directly into the camera.

“Your children are going to be okay.”