Or so I believed.
I looked at Claire.
“How did you get Emily’s ring?”
“She gave it to me.”
“When?”
“Five years ago.”
I stared.
“You knew where my sister was?”
“Yes.”
“All this time?”
“Archie—”
“Five years, Claire!”
She flinched.
“Do you have any idea what Mom went through? What I went through?”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
“Because Emily begged me not to. She didn’t want anyone in the family knowing I’d heard from her. She was terrified someone would contact Ryan. And I promised her.”
I shook my head.
“Why would my own sister be afraid of me?”
Claire looked straight at me.
“Because she already knew you wouldn’t believe her.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
“That’s not fair.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Claire, I never hurt Emily.”
“No. But when she told you someone else was hurting her, you told her to go home.”
I opened my mouth.
