My son-in-law forgot his mobile phone at my house… then a message arrived from his mother: ‘Come now, Janet’…

I swallowed.

“The old farmhouse. Maple Creek.”

Before we could move—

Ryan’s truck pulled into the driveway.

Slow.

Too slow.

Daniel’s voice dropped. “Act normal.”

Normal.

There was no normal left.

I opened the door.

Ryan stood there, smiling.

“Hey,” he said casually. “I think I left my phone here.”

His eyes searched my face.

He noticed something.

“You okay?”

For five years, I had trusted him.

Now I knew the truth.

Still, I nodded. “Just tired.”

He leaned in. “Mind if I come in?”

Before I could answer, Daniel stepped forward.

Ryan froze.

Just for a second.

Then forced a smile. “Sheriff.”

“Ryan.”

Silence stretched between them.

Daniel held up the phone.

“You left this.”

Ryan exhaled. “Yeah.”

Daniel didn’t give it back.

“I saw the messages.”

Ryan’s gaze flicked to me.