Epilogue
TWELVE YEARS LATER
The house looked even bigger in person. Jeremy stood beside me with his hands on his hips, surveying it like a ship he planned to captain. Riley leaned against my leg. He was four and at that age where he barely left my side unless something shiny or loud pulled him away.
My gaze drifted up the length of the stone chimney, the fresh siding, the perfect matte-black front door.
“Welcome home!” the Realtor chirped, stepping out of the doorway like she’d rehearsed the moment. She wore a navy pantsuit with fabric that shone at the elbows and knees. A string of faux pearls hung around her throat, several of them chipped.
“I’m Lanie from Shelby Realty,” she said, extending a hand. “Nice to meet you two—three—in person.” She flashed a smile at Riley.
“I’m Connie,” I said.
“Jeremy,” my husband added.
I rested my hand on my son’s shoulder. “And this is Riley.”
“Aren’t you a cutie?” Lanie flicked a finger at him, then clasped her hands together as if she’d checked something off a list. “Well, let’s go see your new home.”
She ushered us inside, heels clicking brightly against the entryway floor. “Brand-new wood flooring throughout the first level,” she said, tapping a toe for emphasis. “New roof, fresh siding, all new windows, all new wiring. Basically, everything is new.”
We stepped into the great room, taking it all in—clean lines, open space, and huge windows overlooking the pond.
“The previous family fled after an electrical fire,” Lanie continued smoothly. “But the renovation team did a phenomenal job restoring the home.”
Sunlight shimmered across the water in ripples, and cattails bowed in the breeze. The view was picture perfect—exactly what we’d been looking for after years of cramped apartment living.
“That’s a shame,” I said. “I hope they’re okay.”
Lanie didn’t hesitate. “They’re dead,” she said. “There was an accident, but it didn’t involve the house.”
The words landed oddly flat.
“Oh,” I said after a beat. “That’s . . . that’s terrible.”
The Realtor nodded solemnly. “It really is.”
Riley slipped free from my side and hurried to the window. He flattened his hands against the glass, nose smudging the pane as he stared out at the pond.
“Can I go swimming?” he asked.
“Maybe when it gets warmer,” Jeremy said, ruffling his hair.
Riley pouted for a moment, then perked up as a new thought occurred to him. “Are there any kids my age around here?”
“I’m not sure, honey,” I said, tilting my head—and that was when I saw her.
In the window’s reflection, just over Riley’s shoulder, stood a teenage girl. She was tall and thin, her hair hanging straight down her back. She wasn’t smiling. She was just watching. My breath caught. I turned sharply, heart kicking under my ribs.
There was no one there. I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth and looked back at the glass. The reflection was gone—just sunlight and my son, still pressed to the window.
Jeremy’s voice broke through the moment. “What are the neighbors like around here?”
“Oh!” Lanie’s smile brightened. “Very friendly. You’ll love them.” She leaned in, lowering her voice as if she were sharing a secret. “Actually, there were three casseroles waiting on the porch when I arrived, so I put them right in your fridge.”
“Wow,” I said, forcing a smile as I slipped an arm around Jeremy’s waist. “That’s such a kind welcome.”
“Right?” he echoed. “Real salt-of-the-earth people.”
Lanie nodded, satisfied. “I’ll leave you two to it. If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to call.”
“I don’t think we will,” Jeremy said, pulling me a little closer. “We have everything we need right here.”
“Excellent.” She stepped out onto the porch and rested her hand on the doorknob, fingers curling around the metal. Her eyes met mine. For a split second, her smile faltered—something unreadable flickering beneath it—before smoothing it back into place.
“You’re going to love it here in Tillington.”
The door closed with a soft, final click.