The Stillwater Girls(49)

“I’m working on something,” I say, “but it isn’t ready yet.”

“Has Nic shown you my studio yet?” he asks.

I shake my head. She took us past it the other day but told us it was the only part of the house that was off-limits because it was where Brant did his “edits” and he liked to have everything just so.

“You should check it out after breakfast,” he says. “Lots of natural light, plenty of desk space. I could set you up with a little corner so you can sketch in there anytime you want.”

Nicolette’s gaze moves to his.

“That would be wonderful,” I say. And I mean it. I appreciate that he’s sharing his special place with me because it means he’s trying . . . and it means he might open up to the idea of us being here.

Brant begins to reply, only he’s interrupted by someone pounding three times on the front door. His smile vanishes, and Nicolette drops the green kitchen cloth in her hands. The two of them exchange looks and, without saying a word, make their way to the foyer.

When I glance outside the window above the kitchen sink, I spot a police car parked in the driveway, like the one Deputy May drove us to the hospital in that first day.

“Stay here, girls,” Brant says before disappearing into the next room.

Sage’s dark eyes lock on to mine, but I have no words of comfort or reassurance to offer myself, let alone her.

Taking the chair beside her that still holds Brant’s warmth, I slip my hand over hers.

Whatever happens, we’ll always have each other.





CHAPTER 32

NICOLETTE

I shrug into my winter coat and step outside to meet Deputy May under the cover of our front stoop. A moment later, Brant joins me. The gray sky is bright, blinding my tired eyes, but I manage to squint enough to focus on May’s face.

She isn’t smiling.

“Where are the girls?” she asks.

“Inside.” I point behind me. “Why? What’s going on?”

“We found a woman’s body in the woods,” May says, a deep line forming between her brows. “She matches the description the girls gave of their mother . . . at least from what we can tell. She’s been there a while.”

“Oh, God.” I pull in a breath of cool, wintry air destined to turn to clouds, my feet frozen to the cement steps.

“Identifying the body could be traumatic for the girls,” May says, “so we’re hoping to compare her DNA to the samples we took of the girls at the hospital. The lab’s going to prioritize the testing, but it could still take up to seventy-two hours at the soonest. Sometimes longer.”

“We’re better off not telling them then,” Brant says, hands resting on his narrow hips.

“Right,” May says. “But I at least wanted you two to know, so you’re not blindsided right along with them in a few days.”

Despite not having definitive proof of the woman’s identity, my heart breaks for Wren and Sage already. If it is her, it means their mother is dead. If it isn’t, it means their mother is still missing, and we’re not any closer to finding her.

“And the little girl?” I ask. “No sign of her?”

The deputy shakes her head, adjusting her hat. “We’re still searching. Next department over loaned out their tactical chopper, and we were able to locate the cabin the girls were living in. From there, we collected a few things that we should be able to send off for DNA testing. You never know if someone’s in the system already. A lot of times that’s why they’re living in hiding like that.”

Deputy May reaches into the right breast pocket of her uniform, pulling out a pen and a small spiral-bound notepad. A moment later, she scribbles her number and hands it over.

“I don’t give this out,” she says. “Ever. But I want you to call me anytime day or night if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” I say, folding the paper between my fingers.

“First watch said they were called out here overnight, possible trespasser,” she says, eyes moving between Brant and myself.

“Nic thought she saw someone standing at the end of our driveway,” Brant says, exhaling.

“I did see someone,” I say. “He had a flashlight. And a bag on his back. He came out of the woods.”

“You were also tired, and it was pitch-black outside. For all we know, it could’ve been a deer or something,” he says, placing his hand on my shoulder and giving it a squeeze. He doesn’t give me a chance to so much as mention the streetlight by the road before he says, “Anyway, thanks for coming out here, Deputy. Appreciate you personally delivering the news.”

May rests her hands on her duty belt, directing her attention to me. “How are they doing?”

“Wonderfully,” I say. “They’re brave and resilient and curious. You wouldn’t know they’ve just been through something so awful.”

“It’s incredible, isn’t it? How resilient the younger ones are,” she says.

“It really is.” I nod.

“What about you?” she asks. “How are you holding up with all of this?”

My head cocks, and I struggle to find an answer, but only because I’m not sure why she felt the need to ask this question or how it’s any of her concern. “I should get back inside. Thanks for this. I’ll call you if anything comes up.”