He was fishing, carefully, powerfully, to find out whether there was anything out there that could connect him to her.

And I sat across a desk from him and I lied to his face and told him I knew nothing, and I was so frightened I could barely speak.”

“And after that,” she said, “I broke.

I am not proud of it.

I requested a transfer.

I moved three states away, as far as I could get.

And I took Chloe’s letter, the letter she had trusted me to deliver, and I locked it in a safe deposit box, and I told myself I would keep it safe until it was safe to bring it out, and then I spent ten years making sure that day never came, because I was a coward, Maya, and I was terrified of a man who I believed could destroy anyone who crossed him.

I let my fear be bigger than my promise to your daughter.