Page 155 of Everything She Feared

Katie angled her head to examine her drawing. It was stick-figure Anna standing on the edge of the cliff, taking her selfie. Pulling her head back to study it, Katie stroked the tiny heart on her necklace she was wearing.

I’m in more trouble now that I told Mom what my bad thoughts were. Mom pretended she wasn’t upset. But what happened to Anna wasn’t my fault and nobody will believe me. It was like a big war in my brain, a huge horrible war between good and bad.

Katie lowered her face next to Anna on the page.

It’s a good thing I didn’t tell Mom all of my bad thoughts.

77

Bothell, Washington

Sara felt likeshe was being kicked in the gut, again and again.

She’d gotten little sleep the previous night, tossing and turning until the hour before dawn. When she was at work, she’d kept customers waiting, then messed up several orders. She’d eaten nothing all day; she was in a fog.

Now, while she was driving to Bothell, her knuckles whitened on the wheel. She struggled to endure the agony of the maelstrom grinding around her as Katie’s words thundered in her mind.

What would it be like to push Anna over the edge and watch her fall?

In the wake of Katie’s revelation, Sara couldn’t escape the dread that police, media—the world—were closing in on her with one question tearing her heart:Did Katie kill Anna?

Sara didn’t know the answer, didn’t know what police knew. She was lost, helpless. She needed to talk to her mother. Only her mother knew the truth about Sara’s life, her bloodline—about Magda’s letter and what it meant.

If the horrors of my past have come to life in Katie...

Sara had been so consumed with worry she found herself in the Silverbrook Hills Senior Living Home parking lot without remembering much of the drive. She went to register at the desk, disappointed that Hetta Boden, the manager, was there.

“Hello, Sara.” Boden’s voice was calm, icy. “Kaitlyn isn’t with you?”

“No,” Sara said while signing in.Does Hetta know?she thought. Sara took quick stock of the lobby, where some of the residents were playing cards or reading.Do they know?They can’t know. Our names haven’t been made public. No.“No, Katie’s with a friend. It’s just me.”

“And have you been receiving our notices of the adjustment? We need you to complete the financial form. It’s due now.”

“Yes.” Sara pasted on a smile for Boden. “Thank you.” She left, stepping into an open elevator, reaching for the button to close the doors.

“Hold it, please.” Bella Spencer hurried to join her.

Sara held the doors for her, then pressed the button for the fourth floor.

“Thank you, Sara.” Smiling, Bella caught her breath. “Oh, how nice to see you again. Where’s that pretty daughter of yours?”

“She’s home.” Sara looked up at the display, her chin crumpling.

Bella noticed.

“Is everything alright?”

Taking a breath, Sara managed to say: “Thanks. I’m fine.”

The car droned, then the bell chimed. The doors opened for the fourth floor and Sara went down the hall, turning a corner to Suite 404 with the large-lettered sign Mrs. Marjorie Cole. The door to her mother’s room was open. She was watchingWheel of Fortune.

“Sweetheart,” Marjorie said and switched off the set.

Sara closed the door and embraced her, holding her for a long time. She sat on the bed next to her mother.

“You know everything that’s going on, Mom?”

“From what you’ve told me and what I’ve seen on the news.”

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