“Grandma says tomorrow we might have a surprise.”

“What surprise?”

“I don’t know. Then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” She sounded cheerful. I let myself relax.

Chapter 5 — The Empty Boat

The next morning, our first meeting went smoothly. The client asked for only minor revisions. Andrew and I had lunch at a diner across from their office and talked about whether we could hire another designer before fall.

I called my mother around three. No answer. I called Dad. His phone went straight to voicemail. Marissa did not answer either.

I checked the location on Mia’s watch. The app showed the device still at my parents’ house. That should have comforted me. Instead, I noticed the battery was almost empty.