me, I hadn't

re

as just a quirk, an

s just a bit eccentric," he'd

just mumble, "Don't make a

wasn't

all, or what

ing as she pulled a new lipstick or a pair of

ncy cheese here, a gourmet chocolate bar

ommunity wasn'

anished one week, only to reappear chippe

om porches. Small p

ignorance or blame

he stolen p

ion, clearly marked, tak

ng footage too, after B

as day, snatch

she' d feigned

ointedly, "Sarah gets so many packages, it's hard to

mort

y to Mrs. Henderson.

to talk

p, Mike. This

g older, Sarah. A

ul? Or a

hen I used

tic. She wouldn

enda's got a good heart. S

cts t

s a thick, suff

was screamin

e it, or they

I was, kept try

Brenda from herself,

exhau

hum of anxiety under th

htmare of watching her hands, subtly t

tioned something missing,

ells, trying to keep a

about to