Emily watched Mrs Kargle drive away. She stood there for a few moments in shock.

What the hell is going on? What did Alex do? Who's he running from and why the hell would they be coming after ME? How's Annie involved in all of it and why does Mrs Kargle care so much? Does this have anything to do with the figures I've been seeing? Are they after Alex? But wait, if that were the case, wouldn't he be seeing them as well? Then again, we've never discussed it. Maybe he IS seeing them. Damn it, Emily, think!

She smacked her palm against her forehead in frustration.

That comment from Mrs Kargle yesterday... Why did she make such a big deal about it being Alex's choice not to see me anymore? I have a gut feeling that it's not entirely his decision. I want answers! Ugh, why do I always get involved in things that promise nothing but trouble? Oh well, at least Lucy would be proud to see me taking risks again. Or am I risking too much this time? I obviously can't find the line between normal and downright reckless. What do you think, Lully? Should I keep digging? Yeah, I agree. I have to look into it, I need to speak with Alex. After all, he's the one that dragged me into this mess. Oh, who am I kidding? I WANT to be involved now. Crap, Emily, work! GO!

She mounted her bike and pedalled away.

Amid the humdrum of her workplace, Emily couldn't shake the relentless barrage of unanswered questions clouding her mind. Mrs Kargle's tardy entrance that morning added another layer to the mystery. Emily had watched her leave for work earlier, so her reappearance after a lengthy absence left Emily feeling like she'd stumbled into a detective novel.

Determined to get to the bottom of it all, she couldn't help but be drawn to the sound of Mrs Kargle's ringing phone throughout the day. She'd dart to the office doors, attempting to eavesdrop on any morsels of information. Her actions, though discreet, did not go unnoticed by Lydia, who cast knowing glances in Emily's direction, but hadn't said a word about it.

Yet, despite her covert efforts, Emily gleaned little from Mrs Kargle's conversations. The clock eventually struck four, and parents began arriving. Emily stood by the entrance, waving goodbye to the kids, when the familiar ringtone sounded again. Emily closed the door and retreated to the corridor leading to the principal's office, leaning in to catch the conversation beyond.

"...lives there. Calm down. She was a baby when she last saw him, how could she remember him? And even if she did, she doesn't know anything, so there's no reason to panic."

Finally, a snippet of information.

"Then just keep dodging her calls, and problem solved. No need to be overdramatic."

Is that..? No, it can't be.

"By the way, have you heard from Elaine these days?"

Elaine?

"Because Max says she hasn't checked in yesterday and she's not answering her phone today either."

Max – that's Alex, no doubt, but who is this Elaine person?

"You're probably right. But, if you hear from her, please call him. He's getting paranoid, talking about going back for her, and we can't let him do that, it's too risky."

Why is it too risky? Come on, Nancy, spill it already!

"Good. You look into that, and I'll head home to see if I can talk him out of it. Say hi to Molly for me. Talk to you soon."

Molly? Sweet cheese on a cracker, it IS him.

The puzzle started coming together. Mrs Kargle was talking to Lucy's dad. The Garnetts' silence in response to Emily's calls took on new significance, even if the reasons remained elusive. Emily knew that Mr Garnett used to be close to Mrs Kargle, formerly known as Ms Bane, but they rarely hung out after she married. Lucy never liked her, she used to call her Ms Crankypants or Cranky Nancy. All of a sudden, a vivid memory came rushing back to her.

Emily and Lucy raced toward the stable, their laughter bubbling up like a refreshing spring. In their hands, they clutched an odd assortment of items scavenged from their homes. Lucy carried a pillow, a small lamp, and a bag bursting with apples and berries, while Emily had a cozy blanket, a few pages torn out of a notebook, and a pair of pens.

"Come on, hurry!" Lucy urged as Emily swung the stable doors shut.

"Take these," Emily said, passing Lucy the pages and pens. Lucy stuffed them into her backpack, alongside the pillow and the lamp.

With tenderness, Emily laid the blanket on Nala's back, topping it off with a saddle. Lucy kept watch, peering out through a crack in the door to ensure their privacy remained intact. Satisfied that they were alone, she threw the door open, signalling for Emily to ride out. After a swift exit, Lucy settled in behind Emily on Nala, wrapping her arms securely around her friend's waist as they embarked on their secret trek into the nearby forest.

Upon reaching their secret hideaway, Emily tethered Nala to a sturdy tree and rewarded her with a handful of juicy apples. The two friends nestled into their cozy tent, savouring the joy of each other's company as they indulged in plump, ripe berries and chatted about the day's happenings.

"I've got some juicy gossip for you," Lucy declared with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Oooh, I'm all ears," Emily encouraged with a playful grin.

"Guess who showed up today? Ms Crankypants."

"No way! Finally! I haven't heard anything about her in forever. Was she crying over Reese again?"

Lucy leaned back, her expression knowing. "Actually, no tears this time. She and my dad got into a major argument. I didn't catch all the details, but she was shouting at my dad, saying, 'She's out of control, you need to help his son, you owe him that!'"

"Wait, who's out of control? Whose son?"

"Who do you think? Reese's wife and their son. Anyway, my dad told her he's already tried to help, and maybe it's her turn to step up. He said it's not his fault she feels guilty and that she shouldn't have married someone she doesn't love. He even told her that she had her chance with Reese and blew it, so now she has to deal with the consequences."

"Wow, that's... harsh."

"I know, right?" Lucy agreed. "But to be fair, he's got a point. Everyone knows she loved Reese, not Mr Moneybags." She playfully rolled her eyes before adding, "I know I make fun of her a lot, but deep down, I can't help but feel a little sorry for her. I mean, she's still a major pain in the ass with her 'holier-than-thou' attitude just because she's loaded. But I think she's actually pretty miserable inside."

Emily nodded in understanding. "Who wouldn't be miserable, stuck in a loveless marriage and grieving the love of your life?"

Lucy sighed, a hint of sympathy in her voice. "Exactly. She could've been with Reese, but her family didn't approve. Apparently, they forbade her from being with him."

"Yeah, you've told me that before. Can you imagine our parents forbidding us from dating someone just because they're not rich enough?"

Lucy chuckled. "They can try, but they'd be in for a real fight."

"Oh, most definitely!" Emily agreed.

"I wonder what he was like," Lucy said.

"Who? Reese?"

Lucy sighed. "Yeah. I mean, I've heard so many stories about him and I even have a picture of the two of us from my christening, but I don't remember him at all."

"How could you? You were only a baby when he died."

"I know, but I can see how much he meant, and still means, to my dad. I just wish I could have some memories him."

"Yeah, I get that."

Lucy continued, her tone thoughtful. "You know, I've always wondered why Reese's wife and son stopped visiting. If they were here so often when I was a baby, what changed?"

"Yeah, that is a bit odd. If your dad was really that close to Reese, it's strange that they'd just stop coming around."

Lucy nodded. "I think part of the reason might be that my parents didn't really like Reese's wife. Not to mention Cranky Nancy..."

"Do you think they didn't like her because of Nancy?"

Lucy shrugged. "Well, I'm not entirely sure. My parents don't talk much about her. When my dad tells stories about Reese, he never mentions his wife. I'm not even sure what her name is, to be honest. I think it's Melanie? No, Leilani? Or maybe Elaine?"

Emily laughed. "I'm sorry, but those aren't really that similar."

"Oh, shut up." Lucy laughed and playfully threw the pillow at Emily, who easily dodged the blow and retaliated with a toss of her own.

In an instant, Emily snapped back to reality.

Holy shit! Elaine is Alex's mom! He is Reese's son! Is that right? I mean, it does make sense. And the timeline fits. WOW!

"EMILY!" Lydia yelled while snapping her fingers in front of Emily's face.

"Hm?" Emily said, only now realizing that her coworker was standing right in front of her.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Sorry, I got a bit distracted. What did you say?"

Lydia raised an eyebrow. "I said I'm heading home, and you might want to move along before Mrs Kargle catches you eavesdropping."

Emily nodded. "You're right, thanks. I'll be going now as well."

With a hasty farewell to Lydia, Emily gathered her belongings and made a swift exit, timing it just right to slip away before Mrs Kargle emerged from her office. Her resolve was set, and the determination to confront Alex burned within her, but she had to reach him before Mrs Kargle could intervene. Marnie wasn't at the nursery today so she concluded that Marnie might be at home with him. If need be, she was certain she could convince Marnie to let her in.

As she pedaled toward the Garnetts' house, her determination burned brighter with each passing moment. Urgency fuelled her efforts, and upon arriving, she knocked on the door, waiting in anticipation. Moments later, Alex opened it, surprise etched across his features.

"What are you doing here? Didn't you get my message?" he asked.

Emily's response was laced with conviction, her voice unwavering. "Oh, your message was received loud and clear, Alex. Or should I say Maxwell?"

His eyes widened, betraying a hint of fear. Emily remained resolute, her demand firm.

"You've got some explaining to do," she declared firmly, brushing past him to enter the house.