PART 1 — ROOM 614

The reservation email was still open on my phone when Vanessa reached across the breakfast table and moved my room key away from Lily’s plate.

“I need that later,” she said.

Lily looked up from her scrambled eggs.

“Why?”

Vanessa picked up her coffee.

“Because I said so.”

Richard lowered his newspaper.

“Now hold on.

Claire needs her key.”

“I am only borrowing it,” Vanessa said.

“We have a full day.”

I put the key back beside my phone.

“What did you have planned?”

Vanessa had already arranged the little cards from the hotel activity desk into a neat row.

Beach at nine.

Pool at eleven.

Boardwalk after lunch.

She tapped each card as she spoke.