Page 83 of Hidden Truths

“His email was kind of rambling, but he didn’t seem confused or crazy,” I say, reading the email again.

“It just seemed like an email from a lonely old man,” Jo says, crossing her arms and frowning.

“Lonely?”

She shrugs. “It kind of has the vibes of someone who wants to talk because he doesn’t get a chance to very often.”

“Huh. Yeah, I can see that, but Ezra and Kai are identical. Maybe he knew Ezra but didn’t realize he was a twin.”

“Or he just knew someone with dark hair and blue eyes,” Jo points out. My dad has sifted through so many emails claiming to be someone that knew Ezra that I can see where she’s coming from. The number of sightings might rival Elvis at this point.

“Alright,” she says, standing. “I need to go get the cake and then head to the water park to set everything up. Jason has Cora, Cal is with Mav and Kai doing whatever it is that they do, and you need to relax.”

I glare at her. “I’m supposed to help you with her party.” Cora’s first birthday is next week, but it’s in the middle of a long string of shows. So Jo and I planned her first birthday at an indoor water park. Jo booked the entire place so we would haveprivacy. Cora loves playing in the water, so I’m really hoping she loves it.

“Willa and Belle are helping me. You’ve been in full mom mode for weeks now. We want you to relax. Please let me handle this.”

I look at my best friend and see the sincerity in her eyes. “Fine,” I relent. “But I’m only allowing this because the water park handled most of it, and I picked out everything else.”

Jo snorts.

“Mom’s plan their daughter’s parties,” I say defensively.

Jo’s face softens. “You’re an amazing mom, Harry. You don’t have anything to prove. Cora loves you. You don’t need to plan some elaborate party to show her you care. She sees it every single day.”

My shoulders relax. I didn’t even realize how tense I was. “Thanks, Joey.”

Jo glares at me. “I’m only allowing that because you’re stressed.”

I laugh and shake my head. Jo hugs me quickly and leaves me alone on the bus.

“Right. What do I do now?”

I have almost three hours before I need to be there. I just stand in the middle of the bus and look around. Apparently, I no longer know what to do without Cal or Cora.

“What did I do before?” I ask myself.

I grab my phone to look up nail salons. I could go for a good pedicure.

After a few calls to salons in the area, I find one that can do not only a manicure and pedicure but can fit me in for a massage too. I smile to myself as I pull up the Uber app.

I feel like I have a sunburn everywhere. When I said I was going to get everything waxed, I meant it. My fingers and toes are a cute shade of purple that matches the swimsuit I’m wearing to the party. I wiggle my fingers and let the sun catch the glitter in the nail polish. Cora is going to love it.

I bought her a swimsuit that matches mine, and Cal has a pair of trunks in the same shade.

“Harlow Ray?”

I look up to see a man standing in front of a black town car. He’s wearing a worn blue cap and jeans with a dirty shirt that probably was white at one point. He looks very out of place, standing in front of the shiny black car.

“Yes?” I ask, already backing up. I ordered an Uber, but it’s a yellow Prius driven by a woman named Barbara. I look at my phone and pull up my recent calls to see if Cal sent the car, knowing he wouldn’t have sent that man as the driver. I hit his name to call him, but then my back hits a wall.

I try to turn to see what I’ve backed into, but a strong arm holds me in place and places something else over my mouth. I scream and try to get out of his grip. The moment I inhale, I know I’ve made a mistake.

My phone slips from my hand as my world goes black.

thirty-three

CAL

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