Page 141 of Everything She Feared

Nearing her neighborhood, Sara found a little relief knowing Val had picked up Katie from school today. It would give Sara time to decompress before she got Katie home.

Sara’s phone rang. She recognized the number and used her hands-free voice-activated feature to answer.

“Hey, Val.”

“Have you seen the news about Anna?”

“What news?”

“It’s just coming out now about the investigation.”

“Hold on. I’ll pull over.”

“I’ll send you the link to the story. It’s very short.”

Wheeling over to the shoulder and stopping, Sara read the story that said the police now considered Anna Shaw’s death suspicious—the words piercing her.

“Oh, my God!” Sara drove her fingers into her hair.

“It’s just happening,” Val said. “I think people, some from Sunny Days, were finding out at pick-up, and some boys at school upset Katie.”

“Is she okay?”

“Yes, she’s with me here,” Val said.

“Can you put her on, Val?”

Sara heard muffled voices and Bingo’s barking, then Katie said: “Hi, Mom.”

“Oh, honey.”

“Mom, is it true the police think I made Anna fall?”

“Oh, sweetie.” Sara put her hand over her mouth, then pulled it away. “It’s complicated, very complicated. I’m going to find out some more. You stay with Val and Bingo, and I’ll get you as soon as I can.”

“Love you, Mom.”

“Love you, too.”

Val came back on the line.

“Sara, I just saw a news truck go down your street. I think I should keep Katie here for a bit.”

Sara’s mind raced.

“Sara?”

“Yes, thank you. Yes, please keep her while I deal with this. Thank you, Val.”

Gripping her phone, Sara took a breath, then called Rose Aranda’s office. Her assistant answered.

“I’m sorry. Ms. Aranda is unavailable at the moment. May I take a message?”

“It’s Sara Harmon. Please have her call me. It’s urgent.”

Hanging up, her fingers trembling, Sara sent Rose a text with a link to the news story and wrote:What do I do? We need help now!

She set her phone aside, took another breath, collected herself, then resumed driving home. She braced for whatever awaited her there. Minutes later she turned the corner for her street and saw them down the block. News trucks and camera crews on the sidewalk in front of her house.

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