She shrugged, as if to say maybe.

“What about Jake sneaking into my house? I know he looked through Jonah’s desk. The chair was still warm when I sat in it.”

Dr. Rubenstein shook her head. “You don’t know that, Grace. Yes, maybe the chair was warm because Jake sat in it. Or maybe it was warm because it was sitting in the sun. I can tell you if I leave those blinds open all day—” she nodded at the window behind me “—the couch you’re sitting on gets warm too.”

She was looking for reasons not to believe me. “Then why was Jake there?” I folded my arms across my chest and glared at her, daring her to come up with yet another excuse.

“Have you considered perhaps Jake came to your house that day because he was missing Jonah too? Maybe being at Jonah’s house, sitting in Jonah’s chair, looking through Jonah’s desk, maybe all those things made him feel close to Jonah. And maybe, being who he is, Jake was too embarrassed to admit that to you.”

“And fucking Jonah’s wife? Did he want to do that to make him feel closer to Jonah too?”

Dr. Rubenstein sighed but didn’t answer me. Instead, she said, “I’m sorry, but our time is up.”

Me walking out of Dr. Rubenstein’s office in tears was not unusual. What was unusual was feeling like she was gaslighting me. Yes, I knew there were alternative explanations for each piece of evidence I offered up. But offering up alternative theories is what defense attorneys did every day—and their clients still got convicted. It was the quantity of circumstantial evidence that swayed juries. And it was the quantity of these seeming coincidences that was swaying me.

At this point, there was only one person I wanted to talk to—the only one I knew who would believe me.

Chapter 26

I drove directly from Dr. Rubenstein’s office to the Winston Academy. The car pick-up line snaked outside the school gate and around the block. I parked across the street and texted MJ. Want a ride?

He texted back immediately with a thumbs up emoji. R U in line?

No, across the street.

Minutes later MJ appeared at the passenger-side window of my car. “How come you came to pick me up?” he asked as he hopped in. He usually walked from his school to the bus stop, then rode the city bus to my office.

“I was in the neighborhood. Hungry?”

MJ smiled and we both laughed. MJ had never answered that question with anything but an affirmative response. “In-N-Out okay?”

“Hell, yeah.”

The In-N-Out parking lot was full, as usual, so I joined the drive-through line. While we inched forward, I asked MJ about his day, his classes, Sofia, Tim and Richard, and baby Aaron. I received the usual combination of “fine,” “I dunno,” and shoulder shrug. Then I asked, “How’s your uncle?”

That elicited raised eyebrows. “Uncle Alex?”

“Do you have any other uncles?”

“He’s okay, I guess. Why you asking?”

I shrugged as if it was no big deal. “I was thinking of paying him a visit.” I knew if I tried to talk to Alex over the phone about what I’d found on the flash drive, he’d shut me down. And if I texted him a photo, he’d kill me.

“In LA?” MJ asked.

“Isn’t that where he lives?”

“Yeah, but you better call first. He doesn’t like it when people just show up at his place. My mom did that once, and he got really mad.”

Of course, I would call first. I had to. I didn’t know Alex’s address. But even if I could pry it out of MJ, I’d still call first. I didn’t want to accidentally walk in on something I shouldn’t. “Can you call him or text him and ask when would be a good time for me to come?”

“Sure,” MJ said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “But why don’t you just do it yourself?”

I gave him the same nonchalant shrug. “I don’t know. Last time he wanted you to call me, so I figured I should return the favor.” I didn’t know if Alex had a reason for not calling me directly, but just in case, I wanted to follow his protocol.

“You guys are cray-cray,” MJ said as he thumbed his screen.

“I know. It’s a grownup thing.”

Instead of going to the office after lunch, I drove MJ back to Tim and Richard’s house.

“No work today?” he asked.

“Let’s take the afternoon off.” I was too exhausted to be productive and I was yearning to see baby Aaron again.

“You look like hell,” Tim said when I walked into the kitchen behind MJ.

“You’re not looking so great yourself,” I replied, and we both laughed, although it wasn’t true. Tim did look good or, at least, better than the last time I’d seen him. He still looked tired, but his clothes and hair were clean, and baby Aaron was strapped to his chest. He wasn’t in a Baby Bjorn like Jonah used to use with Amelia. This was one of those complicated cotton wraps that held the baby curled up and facing in, so all I could see of Aaron was the side of his face.

I rubbed the side of Aaron’s cheek—his skin was so soft—and said, “I broke up with Daniel last night.”

“Oh no,” Tim cried. “What happened?”

I shook my head. “I’m too tired to explain. I’m going home to take a nap, otherwise I’d offer to watch this cutie for you. But don’t worry, we’re still on for Saturday.” I’d offered to babysit and planned on bringing Daniel with me. Now I’d be babysitting alone.

“I wasn’t worried about Saturday. I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine.” Or at least I would be after I got some sleep.

When I arrived at Tim and Richard’s house Saturday afternoon, I was surprised to see Alex’s BMW parked out front. I knew he was driving up that morning to take MJ and Sofia to see Maria, but I thought the plan had been for him to meet me at my house later in the evening after I finished babysitting. At least, that’s what MJ, who was acting as our messenger, told me.

I knocked lightly on the front door, but the dogs heard me and started barking. Tim shushed them as he ushered me in, but it was too late. I heard Aaron wailing from upstairs.

“Damn dogs,” Tim muttered. “I just got him down for a nap.”

“Sorry. I should’ve texted to let you know I was here.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered,” Tim said. “They bark every time I open the door these days. I think they’ve gotten louder since we brought Aaron home.”

I laughed and bent down to pet Molly, a Chihuahua who couldn’t have weighed more than ten pounds, and Vixen, a longhaired mutt who was three times Molly’s size. “You wouldn’t have barked at me, would you?”

Vixen licked my face and Molly jumped on me. Then Aaron let out another wail, which the dogs countered with more barking. Tim dropped his head and mumbled, “Please god, give me strength.”

“I’ll get him,” I said and ran up the steps. I waved at Sofia, Makeyla, and Ethan, who were playing in the girls’ bedroom, and followed the sound of the crying into Tim and Richard’s bedroom, which I realized I’d never been inside before. Most of it was tastefully decorated with dark wood furniture and gray linens, which made the stark white bassinet and changing table stand out even more.

I changed Aaron’s diaper, which was wet, then brought him downstairs to the living room where Tim, Richard, and Alex were seated in silence. When I walked in, all three men looked at me.

It was Tim who spoke. “I believe you know MJ’s uncle.”