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“We are,” she tells him, then says to Blaze, “I have to go.”

She ends the call and dials Lucas, leaving a message when he doesn’t pick up. “Call me. It’s urgent. And check on Mom when you get home. Josh shattered the front window. She needs it fixed.” She looks back at the house and the window to Dwight’s home office. “Do me a favor. Ask Mom about Lily. I think she and Dad know where she’s been living.”

Ending the call, she stares at the window. Lily’s address could be there, in a file or on his computer. She has to delete the video surveillance of Josh anyway. She also wants to find Dwight’s photos. If Olivia can find Lily’s address, Officer Curbelo can call in a well-neighbor check. Better yet, she can drive there herself. Someone has to know where Lily went.

Olivia drops the cigarette butt, snuffing it with her heel, and settles into her car. Josh keeps his face averted, chin propped on his hand, his backpack on the floor between his legs. Her gaze drops to the pack. “You like graphic novels?” she asks, thinking of the Hellblazer book in the center pocket.

He looks at her peculiarly, pulling on his bottom lip, and a vise tightens around her ribs. Such a Lily gesture.

“Will you draw me your story? Show me what happened to you and your mom? How you got here? Draw any place you think your mom could have gone, like a friend’s house, or places you traveled to. Make it like a graphic novel if you want.” That way, she might understand thepictures without him having to explain. “She’s out there, Josh. We’re going to find her.”

His hand drops in his lap. “Okay.”

She starts the car and swipes the tear that found its way over her cheekbone. Her family has its share of dysfunction, but damn. This is ridiculous.

“Sorry,” he says, pointing at the house.

“Don’t be. This isn’t your fault. None of this is.” But she intends to find out whose fault it is. This time, she won’t jump to conclusions, something she’s prone to do. As was Dwight.

CHAPTER 19

Summer of ’00

Four weeks into their sixth summer at the lake, thirteen-year-old Olivia, Blaze, Lucas, Tyler, and Lily, who was already eight, walked into Decker’s Market. The artificially chilled air blasting through the store, a tidal wave of cold relief, spilled out the entrance, mixing with the hot, dry mountain air. The door slid closed behind them and they sighed in unison, their bathing suits stiff from dried lake water and skin sticky with thick layers of water-resistant sunscreen. The market was always a welcome relief after walking the half mile in flip-flops on a hot asphalt road under the early afternoon sun. But fifteen minutes of discomfort was worth the treat at the end.

“Lily, come with me,” Olivia said. Lucas was up to no good. He was in a mood, bumping shoulders with Tyler. He knocked Tyler into a bread display. A few loaves dropped to the floor. Lucas laughed and kept on walking. Tyler haphazardly put the bread back and ran after Lucas.

Lily started to follow.

“I’ll buy your ice cream today,” Olivia enticed. Lily only had in her pocket what their dad gave her at the beginning of the summer, which wasn’t much. And her allowance was minuscule compared to what she and Lucas had earned at her age. Their dad justified it by saying Lily had fewer chores than they had when they were eight. Olivia didn’t think that was true. Lily’s chores kept her just as busy as them on Saturday mornings. But who was she to argue with their dad?

“Meet up in five,” Blaze said, as if they needed reminders to meet at the icebox like they’d been doing all summer.

Decker’s Market was as old as the lake and still owned by Mr.Decker, the grandson of the original Mr.Decker. It was a quarter of the size of the supermarket back home, but the store had everything, from fishing tackle to sun hats and beach towels. It even had a ride-on horse out front that took two quarters. Neil Diamond, Mrs.Decker’s favorite, always played on the ceiling speakers.

With coins in their pockets, they went their separate ways, Lucas and Tyler to the toy section in back to see if the new Hot Wheels Mr.Decker ordered had come in. Blaze went straight to the drink section. He’d chug a Red Bull and pay for the empty can so he could toss it before they left the store and his dad wouldn’t know he was drinking the stuff. Olivia took Lily to the magazine rack. Mr.Decker kept office supplies on the bottom shelf. She needed a new pad of paper for her sketches.

Lily flipped through a comic book left over from two summers ago. “There’s nothing new.”

Olivia showed herSeventeen. “Try this.” The latest issue came in a few days ago.

Lily opened the magazine to an advice column on pimples. Her eyes glazed over. “Boring. I’m going to check on Luc.” They could hear him and Tyler laughing a couple aisles over. Lily returned the magazine to the rack.

“Stay here. Lucas is being a—” A cold can pressed against the back of her neck. She shrieked and whirled on Blaze. “You!” She playfully nudged his shoulder. He got her every time.

Blaze laughed; then his arms roped around her and he kissed her, right there in front of Lily. He smelled like coconut and sweat, and he tasted like the most thrilling ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Her pulse pounded in her ears.

Kissing was new, all tongue and saliva, and they did it any chance they could get when they were alone. But they weren’t alone this time. They were in the middle of the store. People who knew the Whitmans could see them. If Harold and Rhonda knew their friendship was now fueled by lust and hormones Olivia and Blaze barely understood but couldn’t get enough of, they’d separate the girls and guys in a heartbeat.

“Ew. I’m outta here.” Olivia heard Lily’s flip-flops recede. They smacked the tile floor until they faded away. She tore her mouth from Blaze’s, gasping. He grinned, his chest heaving.

“That wasn’t nice.” She pointed at the Red Bull in his hand and noticed he was tenting his swim shorts.

“Shit.” He grabbed a magazine and held it in front of his shorts.

Olivia’s face felt like an inferno. She didn’t know whether to be embarrassed for herself or for him, so she left. “I’m going to find Lily.”

Lily was at the icebox with Lucas and Tyler. As Olivia approached, she saw Lily stick her hand into the freezer just as Lucas started to slam closed the lid. Tyler smacked his hand to stop the door. “Watch it. You okay?” he asked Lily.

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