n was supposed to

Carol' s fiftieth w

their house, ev

, flitting from group to

char

d Aunt Carol, had a des

h cash, cards

ant, an heirloom she planned to wear for the t

and laughter, Aunt Carol

as g

pes. Many were lighter than they

. Whi

ested callin

n I saw Bre

d. A flicker of

replaced by her us

awful!" she' d cooed, pa

we get the authorities involved, dear. It might just be

and she gave me a s

yesight isn't what it used to be, and I might have tucke

was sweet,

ly, I ope

it earlier, fussing ov

here

The missing d

d faces turne

the first

wn her face. Real

reaking. "How could you? Were you th

sical blow. It knocked

d stunned,

ust look

defen

planations, they sounded

flawless. The grieving,

items, of course. From when

imony wa

erate, envious young wom

uick to believe

rs became

family life shattered

atching it all, a mask of