Page 14 of The Vanished

“You think?” Emma asked, her eyes widening at the possibility. “What if she had a child?”

“Then I hope this will bring them closure. Although according to the police database, her description doesn’t match any missing persons reports.”

“Maybe she was never reported missing. Or maybe her family thought she left. They might think she’s out there somewhere, living her best life, and all this time she’s been floating in that well, like some specimen in a horror movie.” Emma shuddered dramatically. “Speaking of movies, can we watch the Barbie movie tonight? We can invite Logan and Max again. I like it when they come over. And we can do it early, since it’s a school night.”

“Shoot Logan a text. I bet Max will enjoy the film.”

“It will go right over his head,” Emma said disdainfully. “But Mia and Alex will probably like it.” She suddenly looked worried. “You can’t let Alex touch that woman’s stuff, Mum. I don’t want him to see what happened.”

Quinn had desperately hoped that her ability would not be passed on to her children. While Mia had been spared the Sight, it had recently become clear that Alex had not been so fortunate. He was still too young to understand what he was seeing, so they took care to keep him from handling anything that had belonged to the deceased and might distress him if he were to witness their memories. “Don’t worry. I will keep the earring Colin found safe.”

“Earring? I thought it was that Irish ring.”

“It wasn’t hers.”

“Really? So why was she wearing it when she died?”

“That’s what I intend to find out.”

“Twenty-two years old,” Emma said under her breath. “Blimey.”

Quinn would have used a stronger word, but she would be setting a bad example. Not that Emma didn’t hear that sort of talk every day at school.

“Logan can’t tonight,” Emma said after she’d read an incoming text. “Want to dance?” she suddenly asked.

“Dance? What, now?”

“I just love this song. It’s Bebe Rexha and David Guetta.”

Quinn only recognized one of those names, but she acknowledged that her days of dancing with her daughter were probably numbered, since Emma was on the cusp of becoming a teenager and would soon start to think everything Quinn did was mortifyingly embarrassing.

“Sure. Let’s do it.”

“Brilliant,” Emma said and put the song on speaker. And then they jumped around until they were both breathless and laughing at each other’s antics.

It was just after five, and the kids had finished their homework and had gone to their rooms before dinner, when Quinn took the container from her bag and held it tight as she raced upstairs. She couldn’t wait another minute to see if the earring would work. Her heart thumping, she got comfortable on the bed and prayed that this time she would see something other than darkness. She opened the container, dropped the earring on her palm, and shut her eyes.

NINE

NOVEMBER 1923

Ravenglass, Cumbria

“Where have you been?” Honor demanded as soon as Geneva walked into the drawing room.

Honor looked very put out indeed, her cheeks pink with indignation. At seventeen, she was on the cusp of womanhood, but, with her long hair tied back with a velvet ribbon and the powder blue woolen dress with its pleated skirt and Peter Pan collar, she still resembled a child.

“You said we could drive into the village. I was looking forward to it. And I thought we might go for tea,” she whined.

“We can still go. I only went for a walk,” Geneva said apologetically as she pulled her cardigan closer about her in a defensive gesture. She hated when her sister was in one of her moods.

“You went for a walk with him, didn’t you?” Honor demanded. “Rory Sullivan.”

She said the name as if it were tainted, which made Geneva want to deny the accusation, but she hated to lie to her sister. They had always been truthful with each other, and she did need someone to confide in. But the fact that Rory was the estate manager and worked for the family made her feel as though she had to justify her decision.

“I did,” she admitted. “I like him, and he likes me.”

“And what do you expect will come out of all this liking?” Honor asked, one brow lifting quizzically.