Livia nodded.

“You think my case is connected to this other girl?”

“I think it’s a possibility,” Livia said.

“Like, the same person who took me, took this other girl?”

“Yes. The same person who took you and Nicole.”

An uneasy look came over Megan’s face and Livia recognized it immediately.

“Look, Megan, I know I’m springing this on you, and I know I don’t have much to back up my theory. But my sister is gone, and I need some answers to what happened to her. Some closure. At least some attention. I feel like this town has forgotten her. This town, the county, the whole goddamn state and country have forgotten Nicole Cutty ever existed. Maybe all these months later, I’m starting to forget, too.

“I want to look into this ketamine connection. See if there are any other similarities between your case and Nancy Dee’s. I’m going to need help. My contacts include the detectives I work with at the medical examiner’s office, but I know they won’t give my theory much time. Especially since Nancy was from Virginia, which is out of their jurisdiction and beyond their interest. So, if you’re on board here, I was hoping you might ask your dad for help on this.”

Megan looked briefly at Livia and then diverted her eyes, nodding her head. “I can ask him. And I will, if we have to.” She paused. “It’s just that my dad’s had a harder time with this than anyone. I know he blames himself for what happened to me. Right afterward, before my mother became the zombie she is today—so focused on the book and the money and paying for the college I don’t attend—I heard her mention to Dr. Mattingly how helpless my dad felt during my captivity. Impotent was the word she used. My dad is in charge of the county’s police force and I know he still carries guilt for what happened to me. He’s torn up that I was taken, as any father would be. But what killed him was not finding me. He used to tell me, right after I made it home, that he didn’t sleep for the entire two weeks I was gone because his mind was working every second on ways to find me. I know he wants my forgiveness, but I’ve never blamed him for what happened to me so I don’t know how to give it to him.”

Megan shook her head and wiped her eyes before they had a chance to shed tears.

“He’s not the same since this happened. None of us are. So, I’ll ask him for help. I will,” Megan said. “I promise. But if we want to look into my case, I’d rather start elsewhere first.”

Livia nodded. “Okay. Where is that?”

“I work at the courthouse.” Megan pointed at the building behind them. “If you want to look for a connection between my case—and Nicole’s—and the girl in Virginia, I can get us access to my case file. I know right where to look for it. I’ve looked through it myself out of curiosity. I didn’t find anything, but you’ll be looking with fresh eyes. We’ll take that route first and see what we find. If we come across anything relevant that connects the case to Nancy Dee, then I’ll ask my dad for help.”

“Okay,” Livia said. “How exactly does one look at a case file and evidence?”

“I was able to find my case initially because I’m a snoop and everyone’s very awkward around me. I’m the sheriff’s daughter and ever since the abduction people are afraid to talk to me. Before, this would have offended me. Now, I prefer it. I wander around the dark corners of that building and people divert their eyes. But I won’t get that same treatment if I walk down to evidence with you next to me. To smuggle you in, we’ll have to do it when the supervisor is gone and I’ll have to ask for a favor. But I know an evidence tech who owes me one. I’ll try for this Friday. Does that work?”

Livia nodded. “I’ll make it work. What time?”

“Meet me here at noon? If I can’t pull strings by then, we’ll reschedule.”

Livia stood from the bench. “Thanks, Megan. I appreciate the help.”

“I’m glad someone’s asking for it.”

Livia turned to leave.

“Sorry I never got in touch with you or your parents after all this,” Megan said.

“You’ve been through a lot. You’ve got to take care of yourself before you can be expected to reach out to others.” Livia turned again to leave.

“Livia?”

Livia looked back.

“I know you think everyone has forgotten about Nicole. But I never have.”

CHAPTER 29

Megan spread her cards onto the table. “Fifteen for two, four separate ways. That’s eight. Plus two runs for three each. That’s fourteen. The Knobs gives me fifteen total.”

Mr. Steinman dropped his cards onto the table. “Fifteen, and the game.”

Megan smiled. “Gotcha!” She moved her peg to the end of the cribbage board. “That’s my first victory against you.”

“Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again.”

“Don’t! I played great! Everything you taught me, I did during that game. No leading with face cards, no pairs into the crib, all that stuff.”

“I’d lose every game if it made you smile like that.”

Megan blushed and shielded her teeth with her hand.

“How’s the book doing?”

Megan shrugged, pulled her hand down. The smile was gone. “Climbing.”

“You’re a regular celebrity.”

“Yeah, to people who love sick stories.”

Mr. Steinman collected the cards. “I know you well enough now. There’s a reason for that book. Something you won’t admit.”

“I’ll admit it. The book gets my parents off my back.”

“And allows you to do what?”

“Breathe.” Megan pulled the pegs from the cribbage board and stored them. “And maybe find some answers for myself.”

“I thought you were doing that in therapy.”

“I am. I just need, I don’t know, different answers than the ones everyone around me wants to give.”

Mr. Steinman took the cribbage board and placed it with the cards on the end table. “I can’t tell you what to do. A young, independent girl like yourself is not going to listen to an old man like me. Just remember, sometimes finding those answers comes with a new set of questions.”

Megan nodded as though she understood perfectly.

There was a noise that came from another room. It sounded as though it came from the walls, perhaps the groan of a faucet being started. But there was something else that caused Megan to stiffen. If asked, she’d describe it as a moan but the whine of the faucet was enough to hide the exact origin.

Mr. Steinman, too, sat up straight when he heard it. “That’s it for me, my lovely lady. Will I see you next week?”

Megan stood, feeling as though she’d overstayed her welcome. “Of course. Have a good night,” she said.

Mr. Steinman hurried her to the door, his key chain chiming as it hung from his belt loop. “Good game,” he said quickly. “I’ve never felt better after losing at cribbage.”

“Need help?” Megan asked. “With, you know, whatever it is. Or company?”

“Not tonight.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind helping. I’m not scared.”

“One of these days,” he said, grabbing the keys from his hip, “I’ll take you up on your offer.” He pulled the screen door closed as Megan walked onto the patio. “Good night.”

Megan smiled with her lips together, nodded, and headed for her car.

*

Livia danced around the ring, thick headgear covering her jawline. Randy, six inches taller and twice as broad, stalked her carefully as they sparred. He’d been on the receiving end of a Livia Cutty side kick, an unpleasant place to be, and she’d kept him at bay with stiff left jabs. Everything considered, her technique was flawless and Randy was impressed.

He tried again to close the distance and get his hands on her, but the jabs were too straight. Then he saw it, the transfer of weight to her left leg. A side kick was on its way. The telegraph was her first mistake in nine minutes of sparring. When the kick came, he caught it in his left armpit, absorbing the impact and trapping her shin. In a flash, he knocked her left leg from underneath her and they both crashed to the ground. It was where Randy wanted the sparring session to be all along.

“Time!” the referee yelled just as they both crashed to the floor.

“Dammit!” Livia said.

Randy rolled off her. “Two-ninety vs. one-thirty. Physics are not on your side, Doc.”

Livia sat up on the mat and leaned against the ropes, unsnapped her headgear. Her chest expanding with giant breaths.

“On a larger opponent, stick with those jabs. I couldn’t get close until you announced that side kick. When they land, they’re lethal. But I told you, they get stale after a while.”

“Stupid,” Livia said.

“Nothing wrong with being aggressive. Just don’t go to the well so often.”

Randy pushed himself up, offered his hand to Livia, and pulled her to her feet. They exited the ring as the next pair jumped in and started their session. Livia took a seat and pulled her gloves off. Randy handed her a water bottle.

“You seem like you’re doing better than when you had your tantrum.”