Page 38 of My Heart to Find

But I know that wouldn’t be fair.

Not when I can’t even hug him.

“Of course,” I say, and I try to make my voice light and casual, but my words don’t ring true.

Damien nods once, then clears his throat. “Right.”

I tell myself that I’m wrong when I sense disappointment in his voice. Because he can’t actually be disappointed? No, that’s just me projecting my own feelings on him. No one going out with Jana would be disappointed.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Damien

“HELLO!” I OFFER MYhand to Trevor within a second of him opening the door.

He’s a tall man with very thick eyebrows, and a dusting of flour clings to one side of his face. His skin is a lot darker than Marnie’s—I think he’s mixed race, whereas in the photos she looks like she’s white—and he’s eyeing me warily. He’s also holding a mixing bowl, full of some sort of batter, with a large, wooden spoon sticking out of it.

“Oh, what are you making?” I ask. I love a spot of baking. My stomach rumbles at the thought of my brother’s homemade Victoria sponge. That man can cook.

“Uh, who are you?” Trevor regards me with confusion.

“Oh, I’m Damien,” I say, and I’m speaking fast because I’m nervous—because he’s going to see this through as quickly as Anastacia did? “And this is...” I turn to introduce Cara, but then find she’s several feet behind me. She looks worried. “This is Cara.”

Trevor inclines his head slightly. “Okay, but what are you doing at my door?”

“We’re reporters,” I say, my voice light and cheery. “We saw your campaign about your sister, Marnie, is it? And we wanted to chat with you.”

Trevor readjusts the mixing bowl in his arms. “Reporters? Where from?”

I open my mouth to answer, but of course I suddenly am tongue-tied and can’t think of a word.

“We’re making a podcast,” Cara says from behind me.

A podcast! Why didn’t I think of that? I stare at her, but she’s already continuing.

“It’s, uh, a series where each episode looks at a different disappearance.”

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