Page 72 of Good and Gone

Tyler looks at me with confusion, like we should have believed her before. "Where was Lily?" he asks.

Reese glances toward the stairs. "In her window."

"In her window," I repeat.

Reese nods. "She was shining her flashlight, so I could see where to run."

55

Tyler

They found Kenneth Bock with six stab wounds, though it likely only took two to kill him. Whatever the case, someone didn't want him to talk. And that someone made sure he wouldn't.

By dawn, Barry Coburn has arrived. We tell him what we know, which is not much, and he says what he always says. "You should have called me."

Now, he's tossing around terms likeorganized crimeandwitness protection programand I'm not sure what to think. I wish I knew what Kenneth said to whoever he said it to. Would it lead them back to us? Surely, it might. Either way, it isn't a chance I am willing to take, and this house is no longer a place I want to stay.

Not only is it not safe, the bad memories are starting to outweigh the good, and the media will be descending any moment now.

I sit with Hailey, who is packing the kids’ things hastily. She is on her hands and knees, shoving clothes into a suitcase. She doesn't say a word, just scoops up the clothes and drops them into the suitcase.

I hear footsteps behind me and turn, bracing myself for the worst. I see Lily, and she's crying.

"We can't leave Reese," she says. "She doesn't have a mommyora daddy, now."

Hailey holds her arms out to Lily and then stands up. She shuffles toward her mother and then she's snuggled up into her arms. "I'm so sorry, honey," she says. "But we can't stay here."

"What about Reese?"

Again, Hailey pulls up the website from Kenneth’s practice. “Lily,” she says, pointing at the screen. “Is this the man you saw?”

Lily looks at me with wide eyes. “Why don’t you check the cameras?”

“I did,” Hailey tells her. “But I can’t tell. He was wearing a hood or a hat.”

“That’s not him,” Lily says. “The bad man has a beard.”

Now doesn’t feel like the time to explain that men often shave. “So you’re sure?” Hailey asks. “You’re sure it’s not him? Take another look.”

Lily’s nose scrunches up and then she shakes her head. “He’s too old.”

“Reese said it’s not him,” I say to Hailey. “Lily says it’s not him. They could have sent anyone. Or, it’s possible that none of this is even related.”

She gives me a look that saysare you really buying that?“Reese said she didn’t know. It was dark.”

“The girls have been through enough,” I tell her. “Maybe we should let it go for now.”

Hailey looks at Lily and then back at me. “I’m never going to let it go.”

“I know,” I say. She isn’t lying. Yesterday evening, she showed me the photo for the third time in a matter of hours. I could tell she wasn’t sure. “I was so drugged up,” she said. “I have vague recollections of him. I think. Or it’s possible I’m mistaken. It makes me feel crazy, Ty.”

“You’re not crazy,” I said.

“Maybe I am. Maybe my mind invented the whole thing—him being in that room. Maybe I just want it to be him. That way I don’t have to wonder.”

She asked if I thought she should call Barry. “No,” I said. “For one, you’re not sure. Two, your allegation—if false—could ruin that man’s life.”

“And three?”

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