Page 87 of Bourbon Bliss
And then I realized something. Her sleeves were rolled up.
Callie had always worn long sleeves. As teens, we hadn’t thought much about that. I hadn’t, at least, although I’d never paid attention to what other people wore in general. But after discovering Callie’s sweater, it had been mentioned that she’d always worn long sleeves, even in the summer.
Cassidy had discovered why. Mrs. Kendall had given her photos of Callie’s arms. According to her mother, she’d been cutting—harming herself. She’d worn long sleeves to hide the wounds and scars. But that information had never made it into the media.
I zoomed in on the photo, centering on her arms. It was hard to be certain, but I didn’t think I could see any scars.
Tempting as it was to slam my laptop closed and dash out the door with my newfound revelation, I wanted to be thorough. I spent another several hours doing further research. Solidifying my position. Double- and triple-checking. Following the trail of possibilities and looking for additional confirmation.
When I finished, I closed my laptop and scooped it under my arm. Jonah was in the kitchen and he said something—probablywhere are you going—but I was already out the door.
It wasn’t until I pulled up outside the sheriff’s office that I realized I’d forgotten shoes. I decided this was no time to worry about proper footwear. I grabbed my laptop from the passenger seat and went inside.
Bex gave me a friendly smile. “Well, hey there June. What can I do you for?”
“I need to see Cassidy.” My sister’s voice ran through my head, reminding me to have manners. “Please.”
“Sure thing.” She disappeared for a moment and returned with Cassidy.
“Juney, is something wrong?” Cassidy asked.
“Yes,” I said. Her eyes widened and I realized my error. “No, nothing is wrong with any of our family members or friends. This is an emergency, but a different kind.”
“Let’s go in the conference room. And why aren’t you wearing shoes?”
“I forgot.”
She led me in and closed the door behind us. I wasted no time opening my laptop.
“Should I get Dad?” she asked.
“Not yet.” My screen came to life and I turned it so she could see. “This isn’t Callie Kendall.”
“Wait. You’re going to have to back way up, because I have absolutely no clue what you’re talking about.”
I took a deep breath. “This woman claims she’s Callie Kendall. I think she’s lying.”
“And why do you think that?”
“She told the police she spent the last twelve years since her disappearance living with a cult outside Hollis Corner.”
“Right.”
“There is a compound outside Hollis Corner, but it’s been unoccupied for years,” I said.
“How do you know?”
“I investigated.”
Cassidy crossed her arms. “And how did you do that?”
“We found the location and climbed the—”
“Stop.” She held up a hand. “I think it’s better if I don’t know the details. Juney, what were you thinking?”
“That’s fine, the compound didn’t reveal any solid evidence. It was empty, but that didn’t tell us enough.”
“All right, so…” She made a circular motion with her hand, gesturing for me to continue.
