Page 99 of No More Words

“It’s not the same thing. Your father threatened he’d go to the police and blame me. I was scared,” she cried. “I’ve been frightened of him for so many years.”

“Oh, Mom.” Olivia embraces her, wishing she could absorb her mom’s pain. “We’ll explain that he threatened you.”

Charlotte pulls back. She grips Olivia’s arms. Her nails dig into Olivia’s skin. Her expression is fierce. “I can’t risk it. Do you want me to spend the rest of my life in prison? That’s what will happen. I’d die in there. Justice has been served. Your father is dead. God rest his soul.” She does the sign of the cross. “This secret has to stay with us.”

“But, Mom ... It’s murder.”

Charlotte squeezes Olivia’s arms. Olivia winces. “Promise me, Olivia. This doesn’t leave the room.”

Olivia drops her chin. It already has. Blaze knows. But she trusts him to keep their family’s secret.

“Olivia,” Charlotte says, insistent.

“Fine. I won’t say a word.”

“We take this to our graves.”

“Jesus. All right,” she says, trying to see this from Charlotte’s angle. She’s right. Olivia doesn’t want to see her mom go to prison. It would break her.

Charlotte gently runs her fingers through Olivia’s long hair. Her face softens. “You’re the strongest of my three. Be our rock, Livy. Keep us steady.”

“I’ll try.” Even though she feels like she’s sinking in lies and secrets. “About Lily. Did Dad mention where she went?”

Charlotte shakes her head. “I told you the truth. He didn’t tell me anything. I don’t know where she is. I wish I did because I want her to come home now. You have to bring her back for me.”

“I will.” A tear leaks from Olivia’s eye. Charlotte dabs it off with her pinkie, a sad smile tilting up her lips. Her eyes are misty.

“Josh is awake,” Olivia says. “What do you say to a proper introduction?” With Dwight gone, they no longer have to fear what he might do to Josh.

“Well, I ...” Charlotte’s hands flutter from the sheets to the pillow to her knees as if she doesn’t know what to touch.

“He’s your grandson,” Olivia says softly. “He wants to get to know his family.”

“Not like this.” Charlotte grimaces at the oversize sleep shirt with a beer-drinking cat and pink leggings Olivia dressed her in last night. She didn’t pack her mom’s pajamas. She only found negligees when she searched Charlotte’s dresser and doubted her mom would feel comfortable wearing skimpy silk around her grandson. With Charlotte’s messy morning hair, her outfit took fifteen years off her life. She could pass as Olivia’s sister.

“I’m ... unpresentable.” She pats her head, touches her lips. “My hair isn’t done. I haven’t fixed my face.”

Olivia smirks. Charlotte’s upper-Bostonian is shining through the casual Californian attitude she never got the hang of adopting.

“He’s a thirteen-year-old boy. I don’t think he’ll care.”

“I do.” She picks at the blanket. “He’s afraid of me.”

“Then show him otherwise. Until we find Lily, we’re all he’s got. He needs us, Mom. He’s a great kid.”

Charlotte huffs. “Oh, all right. If it means you’ll stop badgering me. Let me freshen up and change into something less”—she plucks at the leggings—“pedestrian.” She briskly walks into the attached bathroom and shuts the door.

Thirty minutes later, Charlotte sits across from Josh at the kitchen table watching him sketch. Olivia asked him to continue drawing the places he thinks Lily could have gone. She hopes keeping him engaged will loosen the words stuck on his tongue. After breakfast, she and Josh have an appointment with Officer Curbelo. Olivia wants to show her Josh’s illustrations, especially the panel with Lily on the highway. Later today, they’ll search the internet to match locations to his sketches while Blaze continues calling hospitals, extending his search area north of Los Angeles and east of Palm Springs.

Blaze stands beside her at the stove. He nudges her arm. “You okay?”

“For now.” She pours egg mixture into the hot pan. “Just thinking what I have to do today.”

“Theodore, the coffee’s bitter.” Charlotte pushes her mug away.

Blaze winces. Olivia shares a look with him. Charlotte is far from easy to please. She wonders if he feels awkward with her mom here. Charlotte has to be embarrassed. She about fainted again when Olivia first drove toward Blaze’s house last night.

“I’ll make another, Mrs.Carson,” Blaze says, taking her mug to the sink. Charlotte returns her attention to Josh. She slides the pearl drop along its chain, watching as Josh’s drawing comes to life.

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