And each time she does that, Caleb says, But how do you know without looking?

Magical Mommy powers, is her standard reply, and he accepts it more readily, and delightedly, than he would a complicated explanation about idiom and verb conjugation in the English language.

Now theyve arrived at Fionas house, ten minutes earlybut none too soon.

To her surprise, Fionas silver BMW is in the driveway.

Pats Jeep pulls in directly behind Brynn. Seeing her, he waves.

She waves back, wondering if Fee is home after all.

Ill be right back, boys. Brynn gets out.

So does Pat. He catches Brynn in a heartfelt bear hug.

Hey! Its so good to see you.

Its good to see you, too, Pat, she says, meaning it, and feeling a little guilty.

Sorry, Fee,she thinks dutifully. But she cant help it; shes always liked jovial, laid-back Pat. He was a part of her life for all the years he was part of Fionasand then, with the divorce, he just melted away.

Brynn! Ashley squeals, coming around the Jeep. I thought that was you! What are you doing here?

Before she can answer, Ashley goes on, Guess what? Me and my dad had a sunrise hike and picnic in the mountains this morning.

Um, sunrise? Pat c.o.c.ks an eyebrow at his daughter.

Ashley laughs. Well, I slept through the actual sunrise. Hey, are the boys with you?

At Brynns nod, she hurries past, quickly opening the back door to see Caleb and Jeremy.

So how are things going? Brynn asks Pat.

You know Things could be better. I miss Ashley like crazy.

I cant even imagine, she finds herself saying sympathetically.

Sometimes she wishes Fee had just had that second baby and settled into family life. Then the Hagans and the Saddlers could have hung around together: hikes, barbecues, playdates, amus.e.m.e.nt park outings Whoa Are those your guys?

She follows his gaze and smiles. Yup, those are my guys.

Pat releases her and sticks his head into the backseat, grinning as Caleb and Jeremy return his hearty greeting.

G.o.d, Brynnie, he says, turning back to her, theyre beautiful. And I cant believe you have two kids that big.

You, too! Look at Ashley!

Yeah, shes growing up fast. He pauses to flash a warm smile in his daughters direction. So what are you doing here? Visiting Fee?

That he still calls Fiona by her old nickname strikes Brynn unexpectedly. To hear Fiona talk about him, all he ever calls her, behind her back and to her face, are four-and five-letter names.

Of course, Brynn knows there are two sides to every divorce story.

She just sees so little of Pat that its easy to fall into Fionas bitter mindset where hes concerned.

Brynn? Pat seems to be waiting for something.

Oh! She never answered his question about what shes doing here.

Here goes,she thinks reluctantly, wishing Fiona hadnt put her up to this. She looks up at the house, wondering again if Fee is here.

But if she was, shed probably be out here by now.

No, shes gone, and wherever she went, she didnt take her car.

Im supposed to pick up Ashley, Brynn informs Pat.

Why?

Fiona asked me to. Something came up, and she couldnt be here, so she asked me to get her.

What came up?

I dont know.Im a terrible liar, Brynn realizes, seeing a glint in Pats eyes.

I bet I do.

You do?

Its her birthday, he says. I bet she decided to take off somewhere with her new boyfriend, right?

What new boyfriend?

Ashley told me you said she had a date.

Brynn stammers, Ino, Iwhen was that?

Never mind, Brynn. You dont have to cover for her. Its okay. She can date. I wont ask you anything else, other than, when is she supposed to come back? Tonight? Late? Is Ashley spending the night with you?

Seeing Brynn hesitate, he shakes his head in disapproval. Never mind. Gotcha. Hey, Ash!

His daughter pokes her head out of the backseat, where the boys are giggling gleefully. Yeah, Daddy?

You need to run in and get yourself some pajamas to wear tonight and something for school tomorrow. Youre staying at Brynns.

Brynn expects a protest, but Ashleys face lights up. I am? Wheres Mom?

Pat lets Brynn answer that, darn him.

Your mom had to take care of some business, Ashley, so she thought you might enjoy staying with us.

I definitely would, she says, hiding an enormous yawn behind her hand.

And sh.e.l.l definitely conk out early for you tonight, Pat tells Brynn, chuckling. She likes to sleep in on weekends so I had to drag her out of bed in the dark and practically carry her out to the car for the hike.

Well, she obviously thought it was worth the lost sleep, right, Ashley?

Right!

Okay, so go get your stuff, Ash, Pat says, handing her the backpack. Youve got your key, right?

Ill go in with her if you stay here with my kids, Brynn says hurriedly, knowing Ashley might need enough clothes for more than just one night and day. But she doesnt want to let on about that to Pat. It would only give him more ammunition against Fee.

Let her explain her impromptu absence to her ex-husbandhowever long it ends up beingwhen she gets back.

Sure, Ill watch your guys, Pat says amiably. Ive got some great tricks to teach them.

Not that disgusting sound you used to make with your arm? Brynn laughs.

That, and Ive acc.u.mulated some new ones through the years. He makes a beeline for the backseat.

Brynn follows Ashley up the steps and watches her fish a key out of her bag.

Ashley opens the door and holds it for Brynn.

Ladies first.

Youre a lady too, Brynn protests, grinning.

Im a kid. Youre the lady.

Brynn is smiling as she crosses the threshold.

It will be her last smile for a long, long time.

Latermuch later, when the shock waves and horror have stopped screaming through her brain and coherent thought has resumedsh.e.l.l be thankful that it was she, and not Ashley, who walked into the house first.

Sh.e.l.l be thankful that it was she, and not Fionas own child, who laid eyes on the hideous tableau that awaited in the dining room, immediately visible through the archway from the front entrance.

She takes it all in somehow in a stark, appalling moment that seems to last an eternity.

The room is decorated for a birthday party: pink streamers, balloons, a cake. It has white frosting and pale pink icing that reads Happy Birthday and, clumsily spelled out in darker icing: DEAR FIONA.

Someone appears to be sitting at the table.

It cant be No, dear G.o.d.

It isnt But, G.o.d help her, G.o.d help all of them, it must be.

The evidence is a telltale swath of auburn hair falling from beneath a pointy paper party hat that appears to defy gravity, tilted so that it seems as though its going to topple off.

Fionas face is gone. Where her features should be, there is only a sickening ma.s.s of blood-blackened flesh.

Dont scream,Brynn warns herself frantically as the gruesome sight washes over her like an icy wave.Youll scare Ashley. Youll scare the boys.

Dont scream But she cant help it.

Her mouth opens and a piercing screech escapes as she backs away in horror from her best friends butchered carca.s.s.

Years from now, the memory willwith luckbe as deliciously vivid as it is right now.

Something like that can sustain a person for life, long after other things have fallen away. Things like youth, good health, money None of those things last.

No, all you really have, in the end, is your memory if that.

Ill sure as h.e.l.l fight to keep mine intact.

What a shame it would be to forget the pleasure of gauging out Fiona Fitzgeralds green eyes with that ridiculously expensive knife she purchased herself.

Then again What a shame she didnt know that it was put to good use. What a shame she didnt see me, didnt hear me sing to her.

Oh, well.

The important thing is that the penultimate task has been accomplished.

Shes gone. She cant hurt me, or anyone else, ever again.

Now only Brynn Saddler is left.

But it wont be long until she, too, gets what she deserves.

Then it will finally be over, after ten years.

And for me, a new chapter can begin at last.

CHAPTER 20.

Quincy Hiles spends most Sunday mornings with his mother and his youngest sister, Wanda, and her family, all of whom still live together in his childhood home.

Today has begun as all the other Sundays do: first, a rousing church service, to be followed by a home-cooked meal in the kitchen. Mama has prepared all his favorites: fried chicken, mashed potatoes with cream gravy, greens with bacon, rolls and b.u.t.ter.

h.e.l.l pay for it later, hes sure. With his stomach acting up the way its been lately, Quincy shouldnt be eating any of this stuff. But as he sits at the table, watching his mother open the oven to swap the batch of piping hot rolls with a freshly a.s.sembled apple pie, his mouth is watering.