Page 42 of All Your Life

Liam pats my head like I’m his puppy. “That’s the spirit, Tiny.”

I break into a cold sweat when the door opens and a girl answers. She’s young, looks to be around nine-ish, and I instinctively move my body halfway behind Liam, hiding myself from someone who very well may be my little sister.

Liam says, “Hi, we’re looking for someone named Grace Dawson. Does she live here?”

The little girl looks him up and down and then slams the door as she hollers, “Mom, there’s someone at the door!”

“Oh my God,” I whisper-scream as Liam takes hold of my wrist to keep me from bolting.

“Relax, Sarah. It’s going to be ok.”

And for some reason I believe him, so I’m standing in the same spot when a beautiful but tired-looking woman holding a sleeping infant opens the door.

Liam speaks softly when he says, “Sorry for bothering you.”

“It’s fine.” She shakes her head looking behind her with a smile. “I’ve told her a thousand times not to open the door to strangers, but she’s got a mind of her own. What can I do for you?”

Liam is about to answer when I pipe up, “Are you Grace Dawson?”

“No,” the woman answers, her expression curious.

“Oh, sorry,” I say, tugging on Liam’s sleeve, fully aware that I’m acting like a lunatic but unable to calm myself. “Let’s get going.”

“Whoa, hold up,” he says before turning back to the woman. “We just had this listed as a last known address, but to be honest, it’s from a long time ago.”

She takes us in for a moment, and ultimately decides we pass theprobably not serial killerstest. “We’ve been here for around eighteen months. My husband is in grad school. It’s a pretty transient place.”

Liam says, “Lots of students, I bet.”

“Students, younger faculty,” she answers, nodding.

“Any idea who rents the place out? Maybe they’d be able to help.”

“Hang on a sec.” She turns her head, “Maeve, get mommy’s phone from the kitchen counter, ok?”

Liam smiles. “My aunt’s name is Maeve.”

To which she says, “My mother’s name, too.” After scrolling for a minute, she holds the phone towards us, and I momentarily break out of my coma to take a picture of the contact for a realty company.

“Thank you.”

I’m sure it’s all in my head, but it’s as if this stranger knows why we’re looking for Grace Dawson when she gives me a soft smile. “I hope you find her.”

Liam is all business when we get back in the car. “Hey, it’s almost five. Let’s call just in case the office is about to close.”

I can see that it’s only a few blocks away. “Wait, it’s like two minutes from here. Let’s just go.”

He pats my knee. “Get ‘er done…That’s my girl.”

My girl?I like the sound of that, but make a joke to avoid what’s sure to be an awkward moment. “You are such a nerd.”

I spend the next couple of minutes navigating him towards the address, which is another identical looking townhouse. The only difference is a sign that reads:Fulton Realtyin the front window.

I’m not half as nervous now, and I know it’s because that somewhere deep-down, I’m hoping to hit a dead end, and I’d say the odds are pretty low that Fulton Realty is going to give us any meaningful intel.

Chapter Twenty-Two

LIAM

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