I didn't wait for Jace to finish. I shoved past him, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. The hallway felt longer than usual, the shadows of the Family-style portraits of my ancestors—or at least, the framed photos of my mom’s happy life—feeling like they were closing in.
The sound of voices drifted up the stairs. My mom’s voice was high and nervous, the way it got when she was trying to "keep the peace." Zayelle’s dad, had a voice like a low rumble of thunder. But cutting through it all was the sharp, jagged edge of Marvin’s laughter.
I reached the landing and looked down into the foyer.
It was a nightmare in high-definition. Marvin was leaning against our hall table, his arms crossed, looking entirely too comfortable in our home. Beside him stood Jacinta; she had stopp
