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“She filed a police report saying you came to their home and physically attacked them.”

“What a load of bullshit,” interrupted Gran. “That boy attacked my granddaughter first. They—”

“It’s your word against his, and you were trespassing on private property, threatening the owner of the house. This is not a good look, Mrs. Walsh. As I recall, I specifically told you to let us do the investigating.” His tone was reprimanding, but Gran didn’t take the bait.

“Actually, you did not. You told me my granddaughter was a runaway and insinuated that she wasn’t worth the department’s time and money, leaving it up to her family to do the investigating.”

There was a long pause, and then Detective Audrain sighed. I could picture the heel of his hand grinding against his chin like he’d done in that awful room at the police station.

“I heard Chris say something when he was on the phone,” I blurted. “When I was…looking into his bedroom window…” There was quiet on the other end of the line, so I assumed he was listening.

Gran nodded, encouraging me to go on. Licking my lips, which felt as dry as my throat, I told them what I’d heard.

“Did you hear him use either your or your sister’s names when having this discussion? He could have been talking about anything.”

“No!” I said. “It was very clear he was talking about us—he was upset and—”

“If he didn’t reference your names, he could have been talking about beer…marijuana. You see where I’m going with this?”

“But I heard him—he said that they should have taken both of us. That means they did take Piper. She’s not a runaway!”

My breath whooshed out, and the frustrated tears I’d been holding back made a dive down my face. I stared at Gran helplessly. Nothing I was saying was coming out right. Gran squeezed my arm gently. I looked down at her pearly pink nails and lost it. Pulling my hood over my hair, I sat at the table with my head on my arms.

“Detective, at what point will you take my granddaughter’s disappearance seriously?”

Stern like a librarian. Her face, baggy and exhausted, told a different story.

Another tense quiet ensued in which I could hear myself breathing.

“Have you seen the news, Mrs. Walsh?”

I hadn’t. Gran watched it in the evenings, and sometimes Piper joined her; I didn’t have the stomach for it.

“I don’t see why anything on the news could be related to finding my granddaughter.” Gran sagged against the wall, her eyes closed.

I got up to get myself a glass of water. Pulling a mason jar from the dish rack, I held it beneath the faucet. The sound of the water did nothing to drown out Detective Audrain’s voice like I’d hoped. Whatever he said next wouldn’t matter.

“I’m going to be frank with you. There is a mass search for a three-year-old abducted from her driveway.Every officer we have, as well as officers from four separate counties, are looking for Lorelai and her abductor.”

I put the mason jar in Gran’s hand and made a drinking motion; she obeyed, taking a few birdlike sips, then setting it down.

“Kids Piper’s age go missing every day. Most of them come back within a few days. I give you my word, if she doesn’t show up by tomorrow, I’ll file the report myself.”

“If something happens to Piper between now and then, I will hold you accountable.”

“You go ahead and do that, Mrs. Walsh. Good night.”

The line went dead. Gran tried to cradle the phone, but she missed and it slid to the carpet.

“Piper,” she wheezed. “Can you help me to the couch?”

“Gran…it’s Iris. I—”

She stumbled forward, swaying on her feet like she was on unsteady ground. We made eye contact long enough for me to see the light drain out of her eyes.

Lunging forward, I grabbed her arm to steady her, but she fell sideways, crumpling to the floor. I dropped to my knees next to her, turning her onto her back.

“Gran! Get up! Please! Gran!”