Samantha did not have an answer to offer.

At that exact moment, my phone buzzed on the table with an incoming text message from an unfamiliar phone number.

I picked it up and read the words on the screen: “Hello, Claire.

This is Patricia Thornton speaking.

I think it is officially time that someone finally explained to you why your aunt Madeline knew our family long before you ever met Gavin.”

A second message chimed on the screen immediately after: “And there is something very important that Madeline specifically asked me to return to you if you ever reached the point where you decided to leave the Maple Avenue house.”