“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
Emily said, “Mom?”
Then Ryan sent a third message.
A photograph loaded.
It showed Emily standing outside my house.
The image appeared to have been taken by a security camera.
Beside her stood a man.
His face was turned partially toward the lens.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Tall.
I had never seen him before.
But underneath the photograph, Ryan had typed:
THAT’S THOMAS HOLLOWAY. DAD’S BROTHER.
My knees weakened.
“When was this taken?” I whispered.
Emily went silent.
She had heard me.
Ryan’s next message appeared.
LAST NIGHT.
I slowly raised my eyes.
“Emily.”
No answer.
“You were at my house last night.”
Her breathing changed.
“Mom—”
“With Thomas Holloway.”
Daniel turned sharply toward Rebecca.
Rebecca went pale.
“Emily,” I said again, “why were you meeting your father’s brother at my house?”
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone.
Then someone knocked on the hotel door.
