Seven Steps To You

ears

icture last night." Eight-year-o

But I frowned as I stared at the paper. I was in a wedd

Russo, but men were the least of my problems right now. The Home alway

he dining room

, broke into a laugh. "The g

"Well, thanks for your input, Annabeth, and thank you, M

en our family will be

." Tommy coughed

able. I thought I smelled s

four, five, six? Where's Noah?" I asked as I counted the pack and sp

ifted. "Uh, I h

"What do you mean?

. "Because I kind of noticed he disappear

it a habit of running away a few times, increasing my blood pressure,

asked with worry as she held her

smile. "Of

mber, but it went straight to voicemail. D

time." Jay speculated as he bit

"If he knows where Mexic

ed goodbyes; they walked off in different directions as t

hone bega

called my

a young man in custody who claims t

t as I pulled to a traffic stop."Nope," I gave a f

ia," the detective rep

idened. "Nope,

him on underage drinking charges. Care to come do

changed to green. I stepped o

at the precinct and was dir

year Noah had been arrested

I said. "Wh

charged with underage drinking. They're lucky no one was hurt. He'll

ief. "Oh, thank God.

es remained skeptical. "You look a

nsulting. I was only twenty-six. I scoff

rvation, you look li

eatshirt and jeans. "C

in, you're going to jail." Detective Jam

t look and spoke with sarca

urried out the building for the parki

Are you out of your mind?!" I sneered. "Get

s I began to

e thinking of college, a career, and not screwing with a bunch of rich kids whose folks can buy them a spot in the I

s a lot." H

ah.

hteen years old, and

ngu

ts. So just kick

. I have at least a year to put you back on the r

pushed his head against the window; his hearing

fire truck zoomed past us,

ed since we were going in the same direction

h sat up in alarm. "

eyes upon s

* * *

s she watched the news footage of the fire incident on her TV. The

tunity we've been looking

stine's image on the scree