And then there was Lucian. To cure her son, Sylvia had endured five grueling years of coffin-carrying labor, so how could she possibly abandon them? But Rick's message shattered that hope. Sylvia had vanished without a trace.
Joel's patience disappeared completely, and he was ready to turn Yorwick upside down, stone by stone. His first move was to pull every surveillance tape from the hospital and the kindergarten.
That afternoon, Tessa came by as usual to play with Lucian. The normally cheerful boy sat listlessly, however, and he barely mustered a smile. Then, unexpectedly, he looked past Tessa at his father in the doorway.
"When is Mommy coming home?" he asked, his voice trembling. "I really miss her."
Joel's breath caught in his throat. Lucian rarely spoke of missing his mother, for
