As soon as Devin joined them, Sienna could see the distress on his face. But she didn’t want to ask in front of everyone what that phone call had been about. He would tell her in good time.
Instead, her gaze traveled to Colby. He was grinning as he played patty cake with Sarah, Rick and Trina’s daughter. The sight made her smile.
It was so good to see him having fun. Looking normal. Everything had been so crazy that this sweet moment of normalcy meant more than anything.
“Let me go show you my latest project,” Rick said, motioning for Devin to follow him toward the back of the house.
“Project is the wrong word,” Trina called. “It’s a toy. A motorcycle.”
“It’s a beauty, that’s what it is,” Rick said with a grin.
As soon as they were gone, Trina turned at Sienna. “Would you like some coffee?”
“I’d love some.”
She went and poured her a cup—this time with cream and sugar. As Colby and Sarah played, the two women sat at a table in front of the window overlooking the beautiful mountains.
“So, how long have you known Devin?” Trina asked.
Sienna shrugged. “Believe it or not, we’ve been neighbors for several months, but until several days ago, we hadn’t really had a conversation.”
Trina’s smile faded. “I’m sorry to hear that. Devin…well, he hasn’t been the same since his wife and daughter died. It was really hard on him.”
“I can only imagine.”
“Devin has always been the responsible type. Don’t get me wrong. But he used to be able to kick back with the best of us. I hate seeing what this has done to him.”
“I know it’s hard to watch the people we care about suffer. Did you know his wife and daughter?”
Trina nodded, her eyes suddenly misty. “I did. They were great. The perfect family. I guess you never know when things can change and turn your world upside down.”
“No, you really don’t, do you?” Sienna’s world had been turned upside down in a different way, she supposed, when Jackson left her, and now during this ordeal.
“Listen to me.” Trina waved her hand in the air. “I’m sure you don’t want to talk about all of this. You’re probably exhausted. Can I get you another drink?”
“Actually, could I just use your phone? I really need to call my best friend before she gets too worried about me.”
“Of course.” She pulled a cell phone out of her pocket. “Why don’t you let me watch Colby for a moment? You could probably use a break.”
“I would really appreciate that. Thank you.” Sienna disappeared back into the bedroom where she’d be staying and sank into the soft bed.
For a moment, everything felt normal. She knew this feeling wouldn’t last for long, but she would enjoy it while she could. After taking in a deep breath—and inhaling the scent of lilacs and vanilla—she dialed her best friend’s number.
Viviana answered on the first ring.
“It’s me. Sienna.”
“I didn’t recognize the number and almost didn’t answer,” Viviana said. “I’m so glad I did.”
“I’m glad you did, too. I really need to talk to you.”
“I’ve been crazy worried. It’s not like you just to take off like this. I tried to stop by your house, and I saw the crime scene tape, and then the neighbors across the street came over and told me there was a break-in and that someone tried to take Colby. What is going on? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just had to get away with Colby until we figure out what’s going on.”
“We?”
“I’m with… Devin.”
“Your neighbor? The handsome, brooding one who looks great when he cuts the grass?”
“He’s only brooding until you get to know him.” Had Sienna just defended him? The realization surprised her more than anyone.
“So you’ve gotten to know him?” Viviana’s voice held a tease.
“We’ve had no choice but do that. Besides, he’s not ready to date. He’s still mourning the loss of his wife and child.”
“Oh,” Viviana’s voice dipped. “How long has it been?”
“Three years.”
“Well, I’m sorry to hear that. Now, where are you?”
“I can’t say,” Sienna said, glancing around the cozy bedroom. “It’s better if no one knows. But we’re safe. For now.”
“Who tried to take Colby?”
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.”
“And Anita? What’s going on with her?”
Sienna remembered the news that she might be dead. “That’s also a big mystery. As you know, she was supposed to be out of town helping her mother recover from hip replacement surgery.”
“Yeah, I remember that.”
“No one can find her.”
“Sienna, I don’t know if this means anything. But naturally you were the talk of the school today. Lots of rumors are going around about what’s happening.”
Sienna had figured as much. It was a small-town atmosphere in their little district.
“Anyway, Ms. Morris from second grade came down to my classroom, and she said the strangest thing.”
“What’s that?”
“She told me that she was nearly certain Anita had said at one time that both of her parents were dead.”
Sienna straightened on the comfy bed, trying to process that. “That can’t be right.”
“That’s what Ms. Morris said. She said she remembered because she also lost both of her parents. Anita told her she understood just how hard that was.”
Sienna processed those words. Had Anita been lying to her this whole time? But why?
She didn’t know. But she didn’t like this.
* * *
When Devin came back with Rick, he glanced around, curious as to where Sienna had gone. He saw Colby happily playing with Sarah and smiled.
Coming here had been a good idea, and he couldn’t think of two better people to help them than Rick and Trina.
“She went back to her bedroom to make a phone call,” Trina explained.
His guard went up. “A phone call?”
Trina shrugged. “I didn’t ask. I figured she was trustworthy.”
“She is…”
“She seems really nice, Devin.”
His felt his throat tightened. What was Trina implying? “Sienna is very nice.”
“It’s good seeing you with someone else. You’ve been alone for so long. In more ways than one.”
“I appreciate what you’re trying to say, Trina, but we’re just friends. I don’t even know if that’s the right word. We’re acquaintances? Neighbors? Two people thrown together in an impossible situation?”
“I didn’t say you weren’t. I’m just saying that this is the first time I’ve seen the old Devin in a long time. It’s good to have you back.”
He nodded, unsure what to say. But now that Trina mentioned it, he had felt more like himself over the past few days. Was it because of the case? Or was it because of Sienna and Colby? Could he possibly make room in his life for someone else one day? He doubted it.
“Grace would want you to be happy,” Trina said.
Trina would know. She and Grace had been best friends. The two had met at church, and they’d been inseparable. Trina was the one Grace had shared all her secrets with. They’d shared their dreams and fears, just like two best friends were supposed to do.
That all seemed like a different lifetime sometimes—those days when the four of them had been a formidable team, in life and at the bowling alley.
For fun, they’d joined a league. Devin had never laughed as hard as he did at those competitions.
“I know Grace would want me to be happy,” Devin said.
“If she saw the way you’d isolated yourself…become a shell of who you used to be…she wouldn’t approve.” Trina’s face looked tight with concern.
“You don’t think?” Devin knew the answer, he just didn’t want to acknowledge it.
Trina shook her head. “No, I don’t think. I know she wouldn’t. Life took a terrible turn for you, Devin. A terrible turn for all of us. It’s also made us realize just how little time we have here on this earth. We’ve got to make the best of the moments we do have. So grieve. Get it out of your system. And, in a way, you’ll always have a hole where Grace and Willow used to be. But then look toward the future and try to make your way again.”
Just as she said that, Sienna stepped out of the hallway.
Devin studied her face a moment, wondering if she’d overheard. Based on her expression, she hadn’t seemed to.
She handed the phone back to Trina. “Thanks so much.”
“You made a call?” Devin asked, trying to ignore the lump in his throat after his conversation with Trina. He would think about that later.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t say anything I wasn’t supposed to. But I did hear something interesting.”
“So did I,” Devin said. “Can I grab a few minutes alone with you?”
“Of course.”
“You two go. Colby is having the time of his life,” Trina said.
He took her elbow and led her to the back deck. As he looked up, thousands of stars shone above them. The sight was breathtaking. Grace would have loved this. He remembered Trina’s words. But Grace would have also wanted him to move on.
Sienna shared with him about what Viviana had overheard at the school about Anita’s parents. He absorbed those details, not entirely surprised.
Anita had a lot of secrets. Had she taken them to the grave?
“What did you have to say?” Sienna asked, turning toward him with the starlight glinting in her hair.
She looked so beautiful that, for a moment, he forgot his words.
He hadn’t felt attraction like this for so long, and he didn’t know what to do with it.
Maybe Trina was right, and he needed to be more open-minded.
He’d just never expected to find these feelings in this midst of this storm, nor to find them so suddenly, so quickly.
“Jenson called,” he started, clearing his throat. “They found a piece of jewelry on the body that was found burned in the woods.”
Sienna sucked in a breath. “A necklace with a crown on it?”
He nodded grimly. “Yes.”
She lowered her head. “It was Anita. Anita is dead.”
“She had a necklace like that?”
“Yes, she wore it all the time.”
“I’ll let Jenson know.”
Sienna let out a breath, her shoulders seeming to deflate at the action. “What are we going to do, Devin?”
“We’ll figure it out.” He reached over and squeezed her knee, desperate to offer some kind of comfort to the woman. “We’ll find more answers tomorrow, hopefully, when we go to visit Lisa Daniel.”
She raised her head. “We’re going to be able to do that?”
He nodded. “I checked with Rick and Trina. They said they’d keep Colby for us. It’s the only way. We can’t risk taking him with us.”
Sienna nodded. “You’re right. We can’t.”
They sat there for several more minutes in silence. Devin knew he should move his hand off her knee. But he didn’t. And Sienna didn’t seem to mind.
“Devin? You know that message that I sent Anita via Facebook a couple of days ago?”
“Yes.”
“Could I check it and see if there’s any response?”
“I doubt there will be, everything considering. But, yes, you can.” He pulled out his phone and handed it to her.
She typed several things in and paused, her eyes scanning something there.
“Is there a response?” he asked.
She gasped and closed her eyes before showing him the phone.
There was a message there. He wasn’t sure if it was from Anita or someone else. But it read:
More people will die until Colby is mine, and their blood will be on your hands.