Ryan's mouth did that when he was nervous.
A slight pull at the left corner.
I hated myself for seeing it.
Dawson noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Claire.”
I had not realized until then how comforting it was to hear someone use my name without lying to me.
“He looks like Ryan.”
Dawson closed his eyes.
“Jesus.”
My phone rang.
Ryan again.
I declined.
Immediately another message:
Please answer. There are things you don't understand.
I showed Dawson.
He laughed bitterly.
“That's impressive.”
“What?”
“In one sentence he managed to make your ignorance sound like your fault.”
I almost smiled.
Then another message arrived.
Not Ryan.
Unknown number.
If you want the truth about the boy, ask Ryan about Lena Harper.
Dawson went completely still.
I looked at him.
“Who is Lena?”
He sat down hard in the nearest chair.
“Megan's sister.”
My stomach dropped.
“Megan has a sister?”
“Had.”
He stared at the photograph.
