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I can hear him moving around on the other end of the phone.

“You’re going to have a problem with that. From what my private investigator uncovered, her home was the dance studio. It looks like she’s been living out of her office.”

I stop in my tracks. “What?”

“The dance studio was her home. He made an appointment, pretended to want to enrol his daughter. Her office had a sofa bed and a storage box filled with clothes.”

A pounding starts in my ears. “Why was he looking through her things?”

“He’s a PI, Caleb. It’s what he does,” he says patiently. “He was following her, and when she never left. He was simply confirming his suspicions.”

I must growl because Elijah hits back.

“Don’t take that tone. You asked for her to be investigated.”

I rub a hand over my face, my head pounding again.

“Sorry, it’s just?—”

“Look, the only place I can think she’d go is to see Samuel Lyon. She appears low on friends. She may return to herfoster parents, but she left there at eighteen, and although they’re close?—”

“Foster parents?”

“What do you actually know about this woman?”

Relatively little, obviously.

When I don’t answer, Elijah continues. “She was in the foster system from three. Look, I’ll send you over what I have. It’s too early to be sat here discussing some woman you have, well, whatever. Especially when I’ve only managed one coffee this morning.”

I stare at my phone.

Foster system.

I squeeze my head at my temples as those two words spin around in my head. It explains her attachment to the kids in this neighbourhood, wanting to help them.

“Send it across. I’m going to head home. Forward me anything you have on Samuel. I’ve met him, so I can call him.”

“Done. And Caleb?—”

“What?”

“Never mind. Just take care,” Elijah says, in an unlike Elijah way.

I stare at my phone.

What? No grumpy retorts.

I don’t get my older brother sometimes.

CHAPTER 20

APRIL

Isit in almost a state of shock as they battle to bring the blaze under control. The building is now a derelict shell, the businesses little more than ash and rubble.

I grab my bag and open it. Sifting through the few items it contains.

Shit.