It was too dark to see Seth’s features clearly, but she heard his quick intake of air.

“When did you talk to Dad?” he demanded.

“I emailed him when I started getting the notes.”

“And?” Seth said. “Where is he? Is he ever coming home?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t say. He just wanted to know about the notes.”

Seth took a deep breath, obviously warring with his emotions. “It’s fine.” He stood, brushing the palms of his hands on his thighs. “He’s gotten on with his life. Does Mom know?”

Jaci frowned. “No. But not because I haven’t tried to tell her.” Every time Jaci brought up the conversation she’d had in the hospital with the detective, the one where he mentioned having contact with her father, her mom changed the subject. The last time when Jaci tried to be more forthright, her mom had said sharply, “Jaci, your father is a wanted man. He is not a part of our lives, and that is his choice. Leave it be.”

End of subject.

Seth shrugged. “His career choice is a little confusing. But anyway. Mom wanted to know if you want dinner.”

“I’ll come downstairs.”

Only Ricky remained in the kitchen when Jaci entered, and he stood at the window, his back to her, his phone pressed to his ear. Jaci stepped up behind him, the urge to wrap her arms around him and rest her head on his back swallowed up by timidity from the newness of the relationship. Instead she twirled a strand of hair.

“Yeah, I’ll be ready. See you soon.” Ricky pressed the end call button and turned around, nearly bumping into her. “Hey.” He touched her shoulder. “You good?”

She bobbed her head. “Yeah.”

He closed the distance between them and did what she hadn’t been able to, wrapping his arms around her and folding her against him. Then his lips were on her cheek, her eyebrow. And finally they found her lips, his mouth caressing hers gently, urging her worries and tensions out of her body.

When he pulled away, Jaci leaned her head on his chest and just breathed.

“How did I survive without you all these years?” she whispered.

Ricky’s arms tightened around her. “Do you want to talk about anything?”

She thought maybe he meant Joey, the funeral, or any of the number of events that led up to Joey’s death, but then it occurred to her that maybe he was asking about the two of them. He had been her rock after her kidnapping two years ago. But then he’d moved away.

“Just stay with me. As long as you’re here, I can get through this.”

Ricky’s eyes careened sideways and he shifted, leaving Jaci with the distinct impression that there was something more he needed to say. She took a step backward.

“What is it?”

His gaze landed on her again, and he gave a small shrug. “That was Neal. I need to go home.”

An icy pain flashed through Jaci’s chest, as physical as a cold piece of metal piercing her skin. Of course. Now that the danger had passed, he would have to go back. She cursed herself for not remembering that small detail. He fit into her life like a puzzle piece she’d been looking for for years. Now the thought of returning to the broken jigsaw nearly sent her into a panic.

She tried for courage, acting as if this was expected and no big deal. “When are you going?” Her voice cracked on the question.

“Like, a week ago.” He said it with humor, but his eyes were serious.

She gave up pretending like it didn’t matter and wrapped her arms around herself. “Do you have to? We could work something out. You could stay here. There are lots of auto repair shops that would hire you, you could even help Detective Hamilton with his investigating—”

Ricky laughed and pulled her into his arms again. “I can’t. Not yet, Jaci. You’re not the only one who needs me.”

Who, Neal? Ricky’s twin brother was about as likely to need Ricky as Jaci was to need another sprained ankle. But then she remembered his younger sister. “Sara? But she seemed like she was doing so good when she was here.”

“Most of the time, she does really well. But sometimes, she slips. And when she does, I like to be there for her.”

Jaci tried to shelve the selfish thoughts in her head. “So when are you going?” Jaci asked, bringing them back to her original question.

“Tomorrow, Jace.” The back of his finger traced her cheek.

She refused to meet his eyes, unable to prevent the feeling of betrayal that bubbled up in her heart. “When will I see you again?”

“As soon as I can get back.”

“Kansas isn’t exactly close to Idaho.”

“It’s not that far, either.”

She nodded, her throat tightening. She turned around to walk out of the kitchen before Ricky could see the tears in her eyes, but his hands closed on her shoulders and turned her around.

“I’m coming back.”

Her phone rang. Jaci fished it out of her pocket, grateful for the interruption. “It’s Amanda,” she said, pleased to finally hear from her best friend. She unlocked the phone and answered it in one smooth motion. “Amanda. How are you?”

“They’re releasing me from the hospital. Said I’m safe to go home. I’ve already changed my clothes and my dad is signing the discharge papers.”

Jaci clenched the phone tighter, relief blossoming in her chest. “I’m so glad. I’ll be right there.”

“Don’t come here, we’re leaving. Meet me at my house.”

“I’ll be there.” Jaci disconnected the call. She looked up to find Ricky watching her.

“Amanda is being discharged. I’m going over to her house,” she said.

“Sure. She’s your best friend. She was there for you when I wasn’t.”

“And I’ll always be there for her.” Jaci hesitated, then asked, “Did you want to come?”

A smile graced Ricky’s face. “I think it’s best if I don’t.”

Jaci returned his smile. “Perhaps you’re right.” Jaci didn’t expect her friend’s flirtatious behavior to suddenly end now that she knew about Jaci and Ricky. “I’ll be back soon.”

Ten minutes later, Jaci arrived at Amanda’s apartment. She sat in her car for a moment to compose herself. So much had happened in the past few weeks, but right now she needed to put on a positive face and be strong for Amanda.

She got out of the car, double checking to make sure it was locked and mentally thanking her mother for getting the window replaced while she was in the hospital. Her stalker had smashed it in a week ago.

Taking a deep breath, Jaci stepped up to the apartment and rang the doorbell.

The door opened, and Mr. Murphy stood there.

“Hi,” Jaci said. She didn’t see Amanda’s dad much. No one did. He was the perfect example of an absent parent. He left Amanda frequently when he went on business trips, and even when he was in town, his social life was much more active than hers.

He swept Jaci up in a hug, pulling her close. “Thank you for watching out for my daughter. You’ve been a great friend to her.”

Jaci nodded, reminded that an absent parent could still be a loving one.

Perhaps that included her father.

Mr. Murphy opened the door wider and ushered her inside. “Amanda is resting in her room,” he said.

Jaci knocked on the open bedroom door before stepping inside. Amanda lay sideways on the bed, facing the hallway. She pushed up on her elbow. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Jaci sat down in the computer chair, relieved to see some color in Amanda’s skin. “You look much better.”

“I guess that tells you how bad I looked before.”

“Yeah,” Jaci agreed, laughing.

But it was true. Last Jaci saw Amanda in the hospital a few days ago, she looked like she’d been resurrected from the dead. She’d had an allergic reaction to the drugs and nearly died. Her skin had been pasty white, and the dark shadows under her eyes and hollow cheeks contrasted frighteningly with her auburn hair. She hadn’t gained the weight back, but she had color, and the shadows around her eyes were less pronounced.

“How was the funeral?” Amanda shot Jaci a look of sympathy.

Jaci’s eyes dropped to the pile of laundry that was ever present on the bedroom floor. She shoved aside the swirling confusion of anger, pain, betrayal, affection. “I don’t know.”

“How’s Ricky, then?” Amanda said with a hint of mischief in her voice.

“He’s good, I think. We’ve had a couple of days to spend together with no drama. It’s a nice change.” But now he was leaving, right when Jaci felt like they were getting to know each other again.

“What happens now?”

“I guess life goes back to normal. Ricky’s going home tomorrow.” She nearly choked on the words, the sense of resentment welling up inside her again. She needed him. Couldn’t he see that?

“Oh, Jaci, I’m sorry he’s leaving so quickly. But I’ll be here.”

“I know. And we have school to distract us.”

There was something else. Jaci hesitated. She was dying to tell somebody what the detective had told her in the hospital. “You know how I told you I talked to my dad a few weeks ago?”

Amanda pushed upward on the bed, propping herself up with pillows and leaning against the wall. She peered at Jaci, green eyes probing. “You told me he emailed you. You didn’t tell me anything else.”

Right. It had been during those weird couple of weeks when she was keeping an enormous amount of secrets from Amanda. “There’s more. Lots more.”

“Tell me,” Amanda said, a spark lighting up her eyes.

“Well, we talked. On the computer.”

“I cannot believe you didn’t tell me that.” She threw a sock at Jaci.

Jaci dodged the missile. “I know. I’m really sorry. I thought I was keeping you safe by not telling you.”

“Yeah, that worked,” Amanda snorted.

“I’m sorry,” Jaci repeated. “I promise, I won’t ever do it again.”

“We already had that promise. And you broke it.”

“Big time. I made a mistake. But I learned, Amanda.”

Amanda waved her off. “I know you did. I’m just giving you a hard time. Back to your dad. What’s going on?”

“He sent me plane tickets to Switzerland.”