EVELYN TURNER

Azalea Court was silent in the wee hours. The women tried to be quiet as they left the cars and traipsed into Number Four. Maybe it was the headlights, or a car door closing, or their voices reminding each other about pillows and blankets and don’t forget the cat. Evelyn noticed the porch light go on in Number Five and pointed it out to the others. Almost immediately, a tall woman opened the door, wrapped in a thick bathrobe.

“Is everything okay out here?” she called. Then she touched her chest. “I’m Winda and I just moved in today. I couldn’t sleep and heard you. Are you all right?”

Evelyn waved the other women into the house and walked to Winda’s front yard. “We’re fine,” she said. “I’m Evelyn and I met your husband and daughter earlier today. Or yesterday, I guess. I live over there.” She gestured to Number Three. “Everything’s okay. And this isn’t typical Azalea Court behavior. Really.”

Winda looked dubious but nodded. “Okay,” she said. “I heard that a neighbor was missing, so I wanted to make sure, you know, that everyone is all right.”

“I’ll explain it all later,” Evelyn promised. She wanted to add something about ghosts, to ask Winda all the questions crowding her mind, but for once she decided not to talk out of turn. “Thanks for checking on us.”

In Gandalf’s living room, Evelyn told the women about their neighbor’s concern while Jess served bowls of chicken soup.

“I’m glad it wasn’t someone else who heard us,” Evelyn said. “She seemed cool with it.”

She looked at the women settled around Jess and Gandalf’s living room. Iris sat between Lexi and Gloria on the sofa, Gandalf in the recliner, Jess, McPhee, and herself on dining room chairs brought in to complete the circle. The only sounds were the sipping of soup, the clink of spoons on ceramic bowls. Their eyelids grew relaxed and heavy.

“Wait,” Evelyn said. “Before we all fall asleep, can we talk about the Memorial Program?”

“We might have to get some rest first,” Gandalf said, collecting empty bowls. “Could we figure it out in the morning. Later in the morning?”

Lexi dug in her bag for her laptop. “You guys can sleep, but I need to look again at the old hospital reports. I’ve been studying them for years, trying to gather data about my lost women, but I’ve never seen anything about patients being pregnant. I’m going to search for that.”

“I don’t need to be here for that,” McPhee said. “Now that you’re safe, I’m going home to my wife and my bed.”

“I’m so sorry you got in trouble for helping us,” Lexi said. “Can we help?”

McPhee shrugged. “I broke the rules. Ignored protocol.”

“What happens next?” Lexi asked.

“There’ll be an investigation, and there’s a grievance process. But in the meantime, I’m suspended.” She frowned. “I’m pretty screwed. My supervisor doesn’t respect female cops, so I’m not that optimistic. But I’ll let you know how it turns out.”

“Before you go,” Iris said, “I want you to be with us to hear our news. Gloria’s and my news.” She patted Gloria’s hand. “It’s hard to take in. I can’t believe my good fortune. But I believe that Gloria is Harriet’s daughter.”

There was silence and then an explosion of voices. Gandalf raised her eyebrows and exchanged glances with McPhee, then shrugged and joined in the congratulations. Evelyn noticed the shadow crossing Lexi’s face and then its disappearance. Iris seemed almost giddy with pleasure. Evelyn thought about her son, and when was the last time she had visited him in Brooklyn, and why didn’t she go more often? She would call this afternoon, after the memorial program.

Gloria shook her head, stunned. “It seems so farfetched, but it could be true. Or maybe I just want it to be true. To be connected to you all.”

“We could try to find out for sure,” McPhee said. “Do you have anything of Harriet’s that might contain DNA? I could take samples to the lab for analysis.”

“But you’re suspended,” Gandalf said.

“The lab won’t know that,” McPhee said. “At least not immediately.”

“The locket, Mom,” Lexi said. “Doesn’t hair have DNA?”

Iris shook her head. “Thank you, Detective, but we don’t need DNA.”

“Don’t you want to know for sure?” Evelyn asked.

“Facts aren’t the whole truth.” Iris put the locket around Gloria’s neck and kissed her cheek, then turned to face the other women. “I’m not gaga yet. I know that Gloria is probably not actually Harriet’s missing daughter. But Gloria took me in when I needed help. So, I choose Gloria as Harriet’s girl, and that makes her my adopted daughter too. And your sister, Lexi. I don’t need DNA. My heart tells me this is right.”