Page 46 (1/2)

Granny finished scooping at least the tenth spoonful of sugar intothat wasn’t going to help with his diabetes She placed thein front of him "Hilary’s not here, honey"

"Not here?" That was different Morandparents "Where is she?"

She s the door and yanking out a giant jug of tea "She’s with a friend"

The nervous knots froht I shook my head Mom didn’t have friends "What friend?"

"A really nice one They’re on a randfather as she poured the tea "Or so like that"

Seth moved closer, a suddenly tense presence in the cozy kitchen I took a breath, but it got stuck "Okay You guys are just being funny Is she upstairs?"

"She’s gone,"up the newspaper "When did she say they’d be back? Her and that nice young man who also liked pie?" His brows knitted "I can’t re the glasses down "It’s no concern of ours Now, do you tant to drink this tea or not?"

I stared at them, sort of durandparents would let my mom leave with anyone--especially a "hio about their business for a lasses So a step back, I bumped into Seth

"Josie," he said quietly

Spinning around, I tore out of the kitchen and ran back into thea left, I took the steps two at a tiuely of mothballs and apple-cinnamon I flew past the frarandparents’, to the last bedroom at the end of the hall

The door was open

I skidded into the rooed over the bedroohtstand Mom’s slippers weren’t on the floor beside the bed

Hands shaking, I went to the dresser and yanked open a drawer Empty I moved to the next one and the next one All of thehthe heavy strands back

Moht at all

I darted to the nightstand, opened the little drawer there It got stuck, but I pulled it open Her favorite book--a Joanna Lindsey historical roes were falling out--was still in there, tucked away next to a packet of tissues The pills she tookback, I stared at the little paperback in the drawer What was happening?

"Josie?"