My daughter never returned home after prom—eleven months later, something I accidentally discovered hidden inside my son’s beanbag chair turned my face completely pale.

wiped his face with his sleeve.

“Tell him I only wanted to protect her.”

“You both made the house feel like a courtroom,” he said. “Mom judged, Dad settled, and Livia and I waited for the sentence.”

Nobody spoke after that.

Finally, I picked up Livia’s letter.

“Where is she?”

Liam shook his head.

“Liam.”

Nobody spoke after that.

“No. Not if you’re going there continue reading …