Chapter 2 — The Girl in the Photograph
Daniel carried the notebook to the kitchen.
Sophie sat beside him drinking warm milk.
He did not open it immediately.
Beside the notebook was the framed photograph from Vanessa’s bag.
Two teenage girls stood in front of a yellow school bus.
Vanessa was unmistakable.
Seventeen years old.
Long dark hair.
Wide smile.
The second girl had short blond hair and one arm around Vanessa’s shoulders.
On the back:
Me + Olivia. Last Day. Don’t let them split us up.
Daniel stared.
“Who is she?”
Sophie shrugged.
“Mommy’s friend.”
“Mom told you about her?”
Sophie nodded.
“Yesterday.”
Daniel opened the notebook.
The first pages were filled with teenage handwriting.
Two different styles.
Vanessa’s.
And Olivia’s.
Lists.
Jokes.
Drawings.
Plans for adulthood.
Live in the same city.
Travel to New York.
Never marry boring people.
Daniel almost smiled.
Then the tone changed.
A page near the middle read:
They said Olivia is leaving Friday.
Another:
They won’t tell me where.
Then:
I promised her I would find her.
Daniel stopped.
Vanessa had rarely discussed her teenage years.
He knew her parents divorced when she was young.
He knew she spent several difficult years living with relatives.
But nothing about Olivia.
Then Daniel found a recent envelope tucked into the notebook.
Postmark:
THREE DAYS AGO.
Inside was a short letter.
Vanessa, I don’t know whether you’ll want to see me.
But I finally found out why we were separated.
You were lied to.
At the bottom:
Olivia.