Grace Ryan sat in her bedroom, staring at the phone in her hands long after her conversation with Collins had ended. The lamp on her nightstand cast a warm glow across the familiar space, but she felt cold despite the comfortable temperature. Through her window, she could see the lights of Los Angeles twinkling in the distance, a city full of people going about their evening routines, blissfully unaware that her world was crumbling.
Collins had sounded devastated on the phone, his voice thick with pain as he'd described Nora's reaction to learning about the investigation. And that was just the beginning. Her daughter still had no idea about the deeper, more horrific truth that connected their families.
Grace stood up and walked to her dresser, opening the top drawer and pulling out a sma
